By CATHERINE NYIRENDA –
MAIZE production is forecast to reduce this season compared to last year, but the national food balance for the 2015/2016 marketing season shows that the country has sufficient stocks for human consumption and industrial use.
The country projects to record a decline in maize production in the 2014/2015 marketing season by 21.86 per cent from 3,350,671 in the 2013/2014 to 2,618,221 tonnes this year.

. Lubinda

Agriculture and Livestock minister Given Lubinda said this yesterday in Lusaka when he announced the crop forecasting survey for 2014/2015 agricultural season and the food balance status for 2015/2016.
The decline in the yield was attributed to the late onset of the rains which led to late planting and poor distribution of rainfall.
Another attribute to crop failure was the prolonged dry spell many parts of the country experienced in March.
The reduction was, however, recorded despite having an increased planted area during the period under review compared to the previous season.
Besides the estimated 2,618,221 yield for this year, the country had a carryover stock from last season’s of 1,345,401 tonnes of maize stored by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), the private and commercial farmers.
The total maize requirement include an anticipated nation strategic reserves stock of 500, 000 tonnes which Government would procure from
farmers this year through the FRA meaning the country would enough stocks to feeds it’s population.
When the total requirements are subtracted from the total maize available, the food balance sheet indicates that the country would have maize surplus of 876, 738 tonnes which could be exported to other countries that were in dire need of the crop.
“My ministry will continue to issue export permits to various private sector players to export the surplus grain to regional markets but it will be done without compromising the national food security,” he said.
FRA would announce the purchase price for maize for the 2015/2016 marketing season soon after the moisture content in the grain reached the required low levels.
Mr Lubinda, however, appealed to the private sector to effectively participate in the crop marketing both locally and internationally.
Meanwhile, Mr Lubinda urged small-scale farmers to negotiate for a better price for their maize that they would sell to the private sector and subsequently derive maximum benefits.
Other crops that are forecast to record a decline include Sorghum which reduced by 29.7 per cent from 11,557 tonnes last season to 8,123 this season.
Rice has reduced by 48.6 per cent from 49,640 tonnes to 25,514 tonnes, while groundnuts reduced by 22.4 per cent from 143,591 tonnes to 111,429.
Millet, soya beans, Irish potatoes and cassava was forecast to record an increase.
Seed cotton is forecast to decrease by 13.7 from 120,314 tonnes to 103, 889 tonnes, sweet potatoes decreased by 21.2 per cent from 150,158 to 118,330 tonnes.