Malawi’s minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and water development, Dr Allan Chiyembekeza has assured the citizenry that the nation has enough stocks of food for the next growing season despite maize production dropped by 27.7% (in 2014/2015 Agricultural Production Estimates Survey -APES) due to floods and dry spell which hit most parts of the country.
The minister made an assurance during the press conference on Tuesday in the capital Lilongwe when the ministry released the second round of 2014/2015 APES conducted in February and March this year focusing on verification and adjustment of area measurement of crops grown by the sampled agricultural households and results obtained are used to determine crop area for the season.
According the APES results shows that maize production has decreased from 3,978,123 metric tons realized in 2013/2014 agricultural season to 2,898,123 metric tons in the current agricultural season with the deficit of 123,340 metric tons representing 27.7%.
In other major crops the survey show also decrease in production such as rice 13.6%, millet, 11.9%, cassava 1.1%, sorghum 9.3% , and with slight increases for Irish potatoes and sweat potatoes by 5.9% and 4.4% respectively.
As for the cash crops have also gone down including groundnuts 21.8%, cotton 31.4%, tobacco 5.3%, soya beans 4.0% while pulses, beans, pigeon peas and wheat have a slight increase by 0.6%, 0.1%, 4.0% and 13.7% respectively.
With the current APES results, the minister downplays rooming hunger in the country saying last year’s maize production surplus still remains in stocks at Replenishing the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR) with 46,000 metric tons.
“As a country, we eat other food crops such as rice, sorghum and millet not only maize alone. In this regards, the ministry is formulating the food balance sheet which takes into account these foods crops to provide a clear picture of whether in the final analysis we have a food deficit or not.
“There is no need for Malawians to be panic with the current shortage of maize in ADMARC deports as what was allocated were sold out which vendors have taken advantage of raising maize prices above official prices of MK80 per kilogram. So, maize prices are expected to go down as ADMARC will have enough maize to sell which will stabilize the prices”, assures Dr Chiyembekeza.
He said the ministry has been allocated MK80.5 billion to procure maize after the harvest within and outside the country to contain the deficit.
“In response to the floods and dry spell which have resulted into food shortage, currently, the ministry has embarked two programs such as promotion of growing of cassava and sweet potatoes and distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers for irrigation farming.
“Distribution of 183,755 bundles of sweet potato vines to 36,761 farm households and 117,000bundles of cassava cutting to 23,400 farm households have already started and there is progress courtesy of World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund to the tune of MK400 million (US$900,000).
“On irrigation, 285,008 metric tons of early maturing and drought tolerant maize seed varieties with 320 treadle pumps, 140 metric tons of fertilizer by FAO and ministry’s 643 metric tons of D Compound fertilizers have also been distributed in Mulanje, Zomba, Phalombe, Chikwawa and Nsanje districts”, outlines the Minister.
He therefore, appealed to the general public to keep the little food harvested for the next growing season while are embarking agricultural production programs to contain the deficit.
“Venture into irrigation farming and keep enough maize for food needs throughout the consumption season. Farmers must not sell their maize and other crops at unreasonably low prices to vendors but use minimum prices that the ministry will announce soon.
“It’s the only this ministry which is mandated to estimate and release figures on agricultural production in Malawi hence should be any to quote figures for agriculture production, it is strongly recommended to use official government figures to avoid misleading the public”, warned Dr Chiyembekeza.
