July 19, 2007

Zambia approves corn export after two-year ban

The Zambian government has lifted a two-year ban on corn export, allowing four organizations to export 200,000 tonnes of corn in 2007 from the previous farming season's surplus, Daily Mail reported on Tuesday (Jul 17).

Zambia recorded a bumper harvest with corn production of 1.4 million tonnes and a marketable surplus of 600,000 tonnes last year. 

Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Permanent Secretary Sam Mundia said the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ), the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), Grain Traders Association (GTA), and the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will each export 50,000 tonnes.

Export licences to the four will be issued soon but all exports would pass through MAZ.

Zambia has banned corn export for two years as the country's food security was shaken by severe droughts and excessive corn exports in 2005.

However, the Zambian government approved an export of 40,000 tonnes of corn in February.

Last month, Zambian Agriculture Minister Ben Kapita announced export plans for surplus corn to other countries in the region devastated by last year's disasters.

Zambia's announcement came members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) such as Mozambique and Lesotho affected by recent droughts appealed for Zambia to lift its restrictions.