WE DIDN’T EXPORT ALL MAIZE
INFORMATION and media minister, Cornelius Mweetwa has refuted reports from some opposition political parties that the government sold maize to its neighboring countries and that it is now trying to import it from those countries.
Mr. Mweetwa who is also the Chief Government Spokesperson clarified that the country through private grain dealers exported maize to Kenya while the government only sold the commodity to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
He said this is central to some assertions from some opposition figures that the government exported maize to Uganda and Tanzania.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Mweetwa said this in Kalomo yesterday while on a fact-finding tour of some drought-affected maize fields and to check on the existing maize stocks that are in the Kalomo Food Reserve Agency (FRA) holding sheds meant to sustain people from the looming hunger.
“Am urging commentators not to politicize the food situation in the country by making unguarded and unsubstantiated statements to the nation. This is uncalled for and regrettable. People should not make political mileage over this issue because up to now we are not yet hit with the maize crisis,” Mr Mweetwa retorted.
The Chief Government Spokesperson also noted that the government would put up interventions to make sure that no one dies of hunger. So far, Uganda and Tanzania have shown willingness to export maize to Zambia.
Mr Mweetwa has further called on the farming community not to despair because of this episode of drought adding that the government would invest more in the meteorological department to make predictable weather focus.
And Southern Province Food Reserve Agency (FRA) Marketing Coordinator, Derrick Nseluke says the region is holding 47,203.5 metric tonnes of white maize in its shed, adding that out of which Kalomo is keeping 19,862.5 metric tonnes.
Earlier, Provincial Agriculture Coordinator, Max Choombe said 61,000 hectares had been cultivated in the region but the drought has affected most crop fields citing the most hit districts as Namwala and Sinazongwe.
84 districts out of the 116 in the country have been affected by this year’s drought with the republican President Hakainde Hichilema declaring the situation a national disaster.
The drought situation harms the socio-economic front, especially on national food security, water, and energy sectors. -