By Emma Kakololo
WINDHOEK
The Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) yesterday confirmed moves by Zambia to export 40 000 tonnes of maize to Namibia.
The Zambian government recently announced that it was going to issue permits to Grain Traders of Zambia (GTA), the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), Millers Association of Zambia (Maz) and the state Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to export a total of 200 000 tonnes of white maize to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Namibia.
Christof Brock, NAB Chief Executive Officer, said he was aware of the maize offer and that all Namibian millers have been informed.
He said before any import permits could be granted to millers, the national harvest should first be taken into account to prevent them from purchasing more than what was needed before the next harvest season.
“We welcome very much this kind of offer from Zambia. It is up to the millers to import as long as they don’t stock more than they could use before the harvest season in May.”
Brock said there was enough maize in stock to feed the nation, especially now with the maize supplement from Zambia.
“We are absolutely convinced that our millers, after the national harvest have been counted, will have enough to last until next year and there will be even more now with the maize from Zambia.”
The maize is a surplus from the 2005/06 harvests.
In June, Zambian Agriculture Minister Ben Kapita told Reuters that the government would allow farmers to export 350 000 tonnes of maize after the country recorded surpluses in the last three agricultural seasons.
But Zambia’s 2006/07 maize output declined 4,4 percent to 1,36 million tonnes from the previous growing season due to flooding that destroyed crops in a majority of the country’s 72 districts.