Mwanawasa bans maize exports

LUSAKA – Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa said on Sunday he was banning maize exports because the impoverished southern African country needed to store any surplus it might reap in case of lean times ahead.

Speaking to supporters of his ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy in Lusaka, he said millers and traders had signalled they wanted to export maize because of low domestic prices but he would not allow them to do so. “We expect a bumper harvest of maize this year and I direct the minister of agriculture that no maize or mealie meal (ground maize) should be exported,” Mwanawasa said.Mwanawasa said traders wanted to export maize mainly to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, where it fetched higher prices than in Zambia.”We are not going to be so foolish to export maize and then later begin to import,” Mwanawasa said.The country in the past has exported when it had a surplus of maize but then had to import when the next season produced a poor harvest.About 1,4 million Zambians currently need food aid until the April harvest after drought scorched much of last year’s maize crop, the country’s staple food item.The Zambia National Farmers Union said earlier this month that Zambia expected to have a maize harvest this season of about 1,2 million tonnes, helped by good rains.The country’s total annual maize requirement is estimated at 800 000 tonnes.-Nampa-Reuters”We expect a bumper harvest of maize this year and I direct the minister of agriculture that no maize or mealie meal (ground maize) should be exported,” Mwanawasa said.Mwanawasa said traders wanted to export maize mainly to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, where it fetched higher prices than in Zambia.”We are not going to be so foolish to export maize and then later begin to import,” Mwanawasa said.The country in the past has exported when it had a surplus of maize but then had to import when the next season produced a poor harvest.About 1,4 million Zambians currently need food aid until the April harvest after drought scorched much of last year’s maize crop, the country’s staple food item.The Zambia National Farmers Union said earlier this month that Zambia expected to have a maize harvest this season of about 1,2 million tonnes, helped by good rains.The country’s total annual maize requirement is estimated at 800 000 tonnes.-Nampa-Reuters