Mozambique to continue importing wheat due to food deficit

The Mozambican government will continue importing wheat and other items, aimed at fighting food deficit, the country's Agriculture and Food Security Minister Jose Pacheco said Monday.

"We will continue importing wheat and other items in order to face the present needs," said Pacheco, without saying how much the former Portuguese colony faces the deficit in wheat.

Pacheco went on to say that wheat is a cereal with deficit in production, which puts Mozambique with a big importation balance of food.

The minister visited the southern province of Gaza a few days ago, where nearly 200,000 people are at risk of facing serious hunger this year.

Nearly 400,000 people are to face this risk throughout the whole Southern African country, mainly in the central and southern regions, due to severe drought and lack of rains caused by El Nino.

Pacheco also said that the Portuguese speaking nation will continue to import rice and soya. For Pacheco, the situation may improve by increasing food production and productivity.

To ease the situation, he went on to explain, the government is building more irrigation systems and teach people how to produce more food.

Vietnam, China and Brazil are involved in the country to produce more food, such as rice and maize, staple foods.

Mozambique spends around 400 million U.S. dollars in importing wheat every year, said the minister.

According to the government, Mozambique imports wheat from neighbouring South Africa. Endit