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Experts urge Zambia to allow formal maize exports to curb smuggling

Xinhua, March 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Experts on Wednesday urged authorities in Zambia to allow for more formal exports of maize to neighboring countries in order to curb the smuggling of the commodity.

On Tuesday, authorities in eastern Zambia announced that they have tightened security on routes along the border with Mozambique and Malawi in order to curb the smuggling of maize which has become rampant.

Smuggling of maize has reached alarming levels because of a huge market in the neighboring countries following poor harvests caused by erratic rains.

But the Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI), a local agricultural think-tank, said Zambia would benefit more by allowing formal exports to the neighboring countries instead of closing the borders.

The think-tank, in its analysis of the impact of the El Nino weather pattern on Zambia's food security, said formal exports will discourage smuggling which is robbing the country of the much needed foreign exchange.

"Exports above and beyond commitments should continue to been closely monitored. This is because exports have helped Zambia to considerably increase investments in maize production by the private sector, especially in the face of increasing input prices," the experts said in a statement.

According to the analysis, four of Zambia's eight neighbors require grain and that it would be irrational for the country to think it could insulate itself from the lucrative demand given that the country has sufficient maize stocks that warrant some levels of exports.

According to figures, Zambia's available maize stocks as of March 15, 2016 stood at about 848,910 tons. The country's human consumption of maize is estimated at 125,158 tons per month while industrial consumption is about 30,000 tons.

According to the experts, the current maize stocks were adequate to last beyond the new maize harvest which starts in May.

Meanwhile, the Grain Traders Association has asked for permission from the government to export some of the maize in its custody.

The association said it has about 200,000 tons of maize in its stocks which it intends to export and members were currently for permits to export the commodity to neighboring countries in order to earn the country foreign exchange. Endit