By GIDEON NYENDWA
ZAMBIA is in acute food deficit of more than 2 million metric tons with the shortfall in maize accounting for more than 1.3 million metric tonnes after government sold more than 1.5 million metric tonnes of the grain in the strategic reserves.
Minister of Agriculture, Mtolo Phiri said at the official announcement of the crop forecasting survey results of the 2023/2024 agriculture season that the country was in a more than 2 million metric tons food deficit, which has been attributed to the drought that has so far hit six of the 10 of the country’s provinces.
He said the country had recorded a deficit of 1,323,288 metric tons of maize, 548,644 metric tons of cassava, 55,138 metric tons of paddy rice and 225,296 metric tons of wheat.
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