The Grain Traders Association of Zambia-GTAZ says the maize export programme has slowed down because Zambia’s maize is expensive compared to the regional market where the maize is being exported.
Association Spokesperson Yotam Mkandawire said GTAZ only exported 3, 000 metric tonnes of maize in April, out of the 63, 000 metric tonnes of maize that the members of the association were allowed to export.
Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Mkandawire noted that the association has not exported any maize in the month of May due to the price in the regional market being lower than the price in Zambia.
Mkandawire explained that everyone who was exporting maize to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Namibia, Angola and Zimbabwe was buying the maize from the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) at K4000 per tonne, which is more than what the maize is costing in the countries where the maize is being exported.
He however noted that individuals who are not getting their maize from FRA are able to make some profit from the exports as they may be slightly cheaper and can compete regionally.
“The price of maize from Zambia is expensive compared to the price of maize which is in the region such that if you buy the maize from Zambia and intend to export, you will definitely not be able to sell because the price there is lower than the source. It is expensive compared to the price in the market where you are trying to go to, the price there is lower than the price here”, he said.
Mkandawire mentioned that government had allowed the export of a total of 70, 000 metric tonnes of maize in April 2022.
