SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE FARMERS TO CONTRIBUTE 96 PERCENT TOWARDS THE ESTIMATED 2.7 MILLION METRIC TONNES OF MAIZE PRODUCTION

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By Christopher /Favourite Chisi

 

As the planting of wheat and barley are currently ongoing, Agriculture Minister, Ruben Mtolo said during the announcement of the crop forecasting survey results for the 2021/2022 agricultural season and the food security status for the 2022/2023 marketing season in Lusaka on Thursday [12 May 2022] that, “government wish to appeal to the farmers to consider increasing area under production further so that we can produce enough to meet the needs of the country.”

 

Mr. Mtolo believes that an increase in local wheat production can help cushion the country’s economy from the impact of the projected high global price of wheat as a result of the current tension between Russia and Ukraine.

 

 “With regard to barley production, preliminary estimates indicate that production is expected to increase by close to 66 percent to 14,201 metric tonnes from 8,556 metric tonnes last season while Wheat preliminary estimates also indicate that production will stand at 234,925 metric tonnes, representing an increase of at least 14 percent from 205,882 metric tonnes recorded in the previous season,” he said.  

 

Mr Mtolo also revealed that the production of maize is forecast to decrease to over 2.7 million metric tonnes from 3.6 million metric tonnes recorded in the 2020/2021 season. 

 

He said of the total estimated production, the small and medium scale farming households are expected to contribute 96 percent while the large-scale farmers are projected to contribute 4 percent.

 

 “This represents a decline of 25.24 percent. the decrease in maize production is as a result of a reduction in the area planted from 1,687,929 hectares last season to 1,507,441 hectares this season,”he said.

 

Mr Mtolo further indicated that the ministry has estimated a decline in the production of Irish potatoes by 16.01 percent to 52,372 metric tonnes from 62,358 metric tonnes recorded in the last agricultural season.  

 

He added that the production of sweet potatoes is also expected to decline to 132,442 metric tonnes.

 

The Minister also said the production of rice is expected to decrease to 62,280 metric tonnes from 65,876 metric tonnes in the previous season which represents 5.46 percent reduction. 

 

“As the government, we are keen to ensure a sustained increase in rice production. therefore, the ministry of agriculture with the support of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency -JICA will soon be launching the third national rice development strategy. The government wishes to call upon all stakeholders to support its implementation when launched,”the Minister said.

 

Cowpeas is also projected to reduce to 8,138 metric tonnes from 12,452 metric tonnes recorded last season.

 

Meanwhile, Mr Mtolo said the production of mixed beans, groundnuts; soybeans is expected to increase in the 2021/2022 agricultural season.

 

“We expect the production of mixed beans to increase to 60,262 metric tonnes from 54,679 metric tonnes recorded in the last season. We forecast the production of groundnuts to increase by 8.45 percent from 175, 329 metric tonnes recorded in the 2020/2021 season to 190,150 metric tonnes this season and Soyabeans production to 475,353 metric tonnes from 411,115 metric tonnes recorded last season. This will now be the highest production the country has ever recorded, “the Minister noted.

 

Mr Mtolo disclosed that Sunflower production is expected to increase by 0.44 percent from  79,816 metric tonnes produced last season to 80,164 metric tonnes this season.

 

The Minister cited delayed onset of rains in most parts of the country, flash floods and prolonged dry spells recorded in some parts of Southern, Central, Lusaka, Western and Eastern provinces and incidences of fall armyworms that affected some crops especially, maize as some of the factors that affected crop production in the 2021/2022 agricultural season.

 

 

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