By CHATULA KANGALI –
A LUSAKA-based trade and economic expert has urged Government to provide more support towards the growth of sustainable food crops to reduce on imports.
Anthony Mumba said that there was need for the country to make the growth of food crops such as rice, oil seeds and Irish potatoes sustainable to reduce on imports.
He noted that the country was currently spending millions of dollars to import food that could be locally grown.
“The country currently has a rice deficit of 30,000 tonnes of which we import. In Zambia we have four brands of rice, Nakonde, Chama, Mongu and Zambezi, but if the growth of this crop is made sustainable, the country would stop importing,” he said.
Mr Mumba was speaking on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Sunday Interview.
He said the country was currently importing potatoes worth US$24 million per month and edible oils worth $70 million.
Mr Mumba said there was so much arable land in the country which was conducive for the growth of the crops that Zambia was currently importing.
He said the country had a huge potential to grow its economy through the growth of food crops which could be exported within the region.
He said Zambia’s economy was currently suffering setbacks because of over-dependence on copper for foreign exchange.
