The Agriculture sector is predicated to register a positive growth on crop harvest for the 2008/2009 Agricultural farming season, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning 2008 Economic Report has stated.
The ministry attributes this to increased number of beneficiaries from the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP) and enhanced provision of extension services which is expected to boost production and productivity in the sector.
The report however revealed that maize production declined during the 2007/08 Agricultural season by 11.3 percent, to 1.2million metric tones from 1.4 million metric tones in the previous farming season.
The decline is attributed to floods that affected most parts of the country, insufficient supply of fertilizer and continued low productivity.
Other crops that registered decline included Sorghum, Cassava and Burley Tobacco which fell by 21.5 percent, 2.1 percent and 13.4 percent respectively.
Despite recording a decline in crop production the country recorded an overall food surplus of 564,548 metric tones maize Mealie Meal equivalent and was largely on account of surplus recorded in cassava, wheat and maize.
However, challenges relating to the purchase, storage and release of maize on the market resulted in a shortage during the year whilst maize, Mealie Meal prices also rose in the fourth quarter,
ZANIS/AH/MKM/ENDS
…and the next thing you will hear, this time next year, is that the country is facing a food shortage.
I am not mad at you Dr. Musokotwane and surely am happy about your pronouncement s of a coming bumper harvest. The question is ‘are we still going to export maize without taking into account how much yield the next farming season will bring? Zambia was caught napping not because of the floods perse, but due to poor planning that saw us export maize way before we established the stock reserves and then we where hit hard by floods and dry spells. Had we had projected all these, we were not going to see the prices of mealie meal skyrocket the way they did.
You an intellectual so we expect you to deal with such issue intellectually and save Zambia from shame.
I hope this is not comedy again.This beneficially issue of fertilizer is all scrap.Let me remind you of one thing farmers were complaining of fertilizer.Thouse who benefited either got compound D along.Am not kidding this is true ask farmers from Luapula and central.If you don’t know thouse who got two compounds are from MMD.Now which farmers areu talking about. There will be kafwafwa.Watch this space.
Am watching u
True that man. I had an opportunity to go home and did a study on training needs for agro dealers in Katete, Masaiti and Mumbwa. Farmers complained that what the FSP (Fertilizer Support Programme) did was bring seed first, then Urea (top dressing) then in January thus when D (basal dressing) was brought. They complained that only apamwamba had access to these inputs. In all these districts, they complained that the vulnerable but viable farmers had little or no access to the programme. Civil servant who get a salary had an upper hand in accessing these inputs hence my argument that this FSP is not a poverty reduction programme as long as it continues to be administered in its current form
These predictions don’t convince me much. What food surplus is there when not so long ago when we heard of people eating wild roots in rural areas around the country? Something, somewhere is seriously wrong.
Is it me or this stroy was posted earlier today? LT what is happening?
As for growth in crop harvest, it`s s t u p i d to even talk about it. It doesn`t mean anything. Yes growth alright but is it more than what the country needs?
This is reason we just watch now.
Oops! Is it me or was this story posted earlier!
In the mean time the kwacha is getting to where it`s was supposed to be 3 years ago! K10 000 to a pound! I won`t be holding my breath about this growth! Cheap politics, but hey they work in certain parts of the world!
hope we shall see some change the way fra is being run
Time will tell
Where is everybody? Looks like this is a dead place now. Good night!
3RqU shani mudala? It’s been a long time. I have also noticed that these days people don’t have much to say. Like this story currently shows 54 views but only 12 have commented.
Pa LT these days these day pali boola
Does this imply that the unprecedented rains experienced that have washed away homes, crops and bridges will have no impact on the projected harvest? I really hate political rhetoric especially those that do not factor in any dynamic systems thinking analysis , like in this case identifying one variable as a determinant factor of the outcome of the harvest without considering any other causal links. Sometime its better to keep quiet if there is nothing to say. Mr. Musokwatane, I generally have alot of respect for you but it is slowly and surely dwindling.
This is good news. Viva akabwali! We have heard of food surplus here,we dont want to start hearing of exporting maize to Congo Dr and Zimbabwe again.As this would eventually creat un necessary shortages.If you want to know how angry a human being can become touch the following: his money,wife and food iwe kuti wafwilapo.
DREAM ON CHANA.There is nothing like good news here.We wont have food in surplus.This are just sweet talks mwana.Dont trust this government
Someone at LT took the trouble of doing all the work above. Nice one. Please do this one as well! Zambians never stop amusing!
Hi Chewe. Why did you lengthen your name
too much emphasis is put on fertilizers. Without technical know how, fertilizers are worthless. Change the strategy. Research is vital to the success of any programme.
Undertaker am fine thanx.There is another Chewe on LT.Him just writes his name as Chewe.So i have to add Virgin if i marry and cease to be a Virgin my name will Chewe Sata supporter.
Chewe Sata Supporter? Nice ONE