[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”4,5,6″ ihc_mb_template=”2″ ]
By BUUMBA CHIMBULU
ZAMBIA has for the first time in as many years started importing mealie meal as a result of serious shortage of the commodity caused by the exportation of the maize grain.
And Mtolo Phiri, the Minister of Agriculture says government has decided to allow the importation of mealie meal because for the first time in history, there has been unprecedented acts of smuggling of the commodity.
Mr Phiri says the Southern African region and part of East Africa have had no maize and all the countries were depending Zambia for the grain.
Mr Phiri listed Botswana, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Namibia, Malawi, South Sudan and Rwanda as some of the countries that were looking to Zambia for maize.
A critical shortage of mealie meal has hit many regions across the country and Zambians along border areas are being restricted to buying one bag of the commodity per family.
The non-availability of mealie meal comes at the heels of the country having embarked on the exportation of maize despite having been warned and advised against.
The excruciating shortage of mealie meal has compelled retailers and chain stores which are partially stocked to start restricting consumers to only buy one bag of the commodity as the scarcity of the staple food persists.
Agriculture Minister Mtolo Phiri is now pleading with the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) to ask its members to start importing mealie without import surcharge in an attempt to mitigate the shortage of the staple food.
In a letter dated April 4, 2023 to ZACCI, Mr Phiri said government on its part was going to quicken the issuance of import permits to traders wishing to bring in the mealie meal from outside the country.
Mr Phiri said in his letter that the imported mealie meal would be free of the import sur-charge as an incentive to ZACCI, its members and other traders.
“This is to confirm that government is desirous to brining in mealie meal not maize into the country in order to satisfy the overwhelming demand the country is experiencing along its borders. You are, therefore, encouraged to inform your members and other trading groups in the country to import mealie meal.
And ZACCI president Chabuka Kawesha has confirmed receiving the letter from the Ministry of Agriculture asking his institution to encourage its members and other traders to begin the importation of mealie meal into the country.
Dr Kawesha said ZACCI members were being encouraged to take the opportunity to import mealie meal and leverage on the quicken process related to acquisition of import permit(s).
“ZACCI is in receipt of a notice from Government through the Ministry of Agriculture dated 4th April, 2023, that it is desirous to promote the importation of mealie meal and not maize into the Country in order to satisfy the overwhelming demand the country is experiencing.”
[/ihc-hide-content]
