CLAIMS OF BUMPER HARVEST INACCURATE - FARMERS

STAKEHOLDERS in the agriculture sector have cast doubt on claims of a bumper harvest by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) from last year’s farming season, saying such projections are not realistic and not a true reflection of the expected yield.

The 2022/2023 crop forecast survey report has indicated that Zambia's maize production is expected to increase to up to 3.2 million metric tonnes from 2.7 million Metric tons recorded in the 2021/2022 production.

But SAFADA executive Director Boyd Moobwe says Zambia is unlikely to have a bumper harvest this year due to circumstances such as floods and late delivery and distribution of fertilizer as well as dry spells experienced in the season.

Mr Moobwe said talking of bumper harvest was a bad notion as most of the farmers in strategic areas were complaining of hunger with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit stepping up to provide relief food.

Mr Moobwe said what the government should do was put in place mitigating measures to ensure there was food security in the country so that people should not face the risk of food scarcity.

And an agriculture economist Edify Hamukale has said the maize harvest of 3.2 million tonnes was an underachievement for Zambia on its National Food Balance sheet that government should not be proud of because the country was capable of producing much more than had been projected.

Dr Hamukale unless and until Zambia produced seven million tons of maize, anything below the figure was mediocre contribution of the agro GDP and the economy.

But Small Holder Farmers executive director Frank Kayula says the projected figures from the Zambia Statistical Agency is encouraging to farmers.

Mr Kayula said the projection was giving hope that there shall be a bumper harvest despite the challenges experienced in the last farming season.