Sat, 03 Jun 2017 12:29:28 +0000 By BUUMBA CHIMBULU THE 10 percent export duty on maize, coupled with the current low prices of the commodity, will have a huge negative impact on Zambian farmers, says the Grain Traders Association of Zambia (GTAZ). GTAZ executive director, Chambuleni Simwinga, said the laws of supply and demand had already taken effect and that the current prices on the market were ‘‘frighteningly low’’. Briefcase buyers in Sothern Province were buying a 50 kg of maize at K45 while K55 is being offered to farmers in Mumbwa district. Mr Chambuleni said in an interview that with such a situation obtaining on the ground, farmers would not be able to recover the cost of production of the maize. “It is very unfortunate that the Ministry of Agriculture has maintained the 10 percent export duty on maize in a year that Zambia has produced a bumper crop with an estimated surplus of […]
