Yields for irrigated maize have eased government concerns that it would have to import to cover a forecast shortfall after early rains gave way to a dry spell in December at the critical phase of crop germination. Meanwhile, peasant farmers who planted late pending the arrival of fertilisers have been saved the costs of replanting, and are now benefiting from a better rainfall.
Preliminary indications are that it s going to be a good crop.
National demand is less than 800,000 mt. But in the 1980s, Zambia s maize output regularly exceeded 1.3 million mt. Because of production problems such as a lack of farm credits or poor rural feeder roads, farmers have opted lately for more lucrative cash crops. From a purely economic point of view we should stop growing maize if we can t address the production costs, Banda said. Zambia s agricultural difficulties stem in part from the government s dismantling of state agencies when it took power in 1991 in favour of a free market.