By NOEL IYOMBWATHE Ministry of Agriculture plans to buy 1, 000, 000 metric tonnes of maize for the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in the cereal balance sheet this year.Speaking during the crop forecast survey for the year 2019 and 2020, Mr. Katambo said FRA’s target has been 500, 000 metric tonnes.He said that the surplus was expected to be more than 710, 000 metric tonnes.Mr. Katambo said that despite factoring in the higher FRA maize purchase target of 1, 000, 000 metric tonnes, the country had still managed to record a maize surplus of over 210, 000 metric tonnes in 2020.“What this now implies is that the country is food secure and will remain as such for the next year to come, provided smuggling is controlled.“With a projected population of over 17 million people, the total maize required is 3, 356, 617 metric tonnes.“The total requirements are broken down as 1, 603, 383 metric tonnes […]
FRA targets 1m tonnes of maize
