Malawi to export 1.1 million metric tons of Maize

Ministry of Agriculture says the county will export a surplus of 1.1 million metric tons of maize from the 2020 to 2021 farming season.

The ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Gracian Lungu said the decision was arrived at after a crop inspection report projected the bumper yield this year.

The first round of production estimate shows that Malawi is expected to produce 4.4 million metric tons of maize which is 29 percent above the estimated national need of 3.4 million metric tons.

“However, everyone who wants to export maize should get a license from Ministry of Trade as an overseer of external trade,” Lungu

Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) Chief Executive Officer, Jacob Nyirongo said it was good that government intends to allow exportation of excess maize on the market but asked it for ring-fenced contracts.

He said the development will allow farmers to have access to better prices on international market.

“Government must allow farmers and exporters to produce maize with ring-fenced export contracts in order to provide long term certainty on maize exports other than depending on seasonal export controls,” Nyirongo

M’mbelwa District Council Director of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Ezra Mbendera has since urged farmers to do family budgeting so that they set aside enough food for every member in the family before they start selling their farm produce.

He advised farmers to avoid unscrupulous vendors who do not follow minimum farm gate prices introduced by Malawi government but should sell their produce to licensed buyers.