By Daniel Itai.
Lilongwe, Malawi. (News of The South) – Malawi’s minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Kondwani Nankhumwa, has revealed that the country is running short of maize.
Nankhumwa said the maize storage facilities did not have enough stocks, falling short with about 197 000 metric tonnes of the recommended minimum stocks.
“If we combine official government stocks and those held by the private sector, our current national stocks stand at 74 992 metric tonnes.
From the current official stocks, it implies that the reserves fall short with about 197 000 metric tonnes of the recommended minimum stocks,” said Nankhumwa.
However, the minister also blamed retailers for creating artificial scarcity. According to Nankhumwa, a total of 1 247 582 out of 4 141 374 farm households, representing 30.1 percent, had no food of their own production as of 7 February, 2020.
Regardless, the minister said measures had been put in place to ensure food security which included the release of 7 000 metric tonnes of maize from the Strategic Grain Reserves which is to be sold at a subsidized price in all identified deficit areas.
Procurement of 18 000 metric tonnes of maize flour and the plan to contract farmers, cooperatives and companies that have a capacity to produce and supply maize for reserves.
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