Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale has said maize exports remain banned in Malawi, saying this is meant to ensure food security in the country.
Kawale told The Daily Times that the maize exportation ban that was imposed years back has never been lifted, such that those found exporting maize risk facing the long arm of the law.
“We, therefore, look forward to having the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and other stakeholders working together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Trade to protect our maize by ensuring that it is not being exported illegally. We should work together to protect our produce,” Kawale said.
This is coming at a time the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture has revealed that it recently wrote the Ministry of Agriculture, asking it to ban maize exports.
Committee chairperson Sameer Suleman confirmed the development, saying they wanted Malawi to take a decision similar to the one the Zambian authorities have taken.
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The Zambian government banned the export of maize sometime in February, citing fears of a possible poor harvest following a prolonged dry spell, a step it says Malawi should also take.
“My hope is that the ministry will take our suggestion seriously because, currently, people are selling their maize to vendors, who are taking it to Zambia.
“Districts in the Southern Region and parts of the Central Region are the most victims,” Suleman said.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the first round of crop estimates showed a slight increase in maize production by 2.8 percent as compared to the previous season.
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Projections indicate a maize output of 3,608,862 metric tonnes, showcasing an improvement from 3,509,837 metric tonnes in the 2022-23 growing season.
Recently, Farmers Union of Malawi Chief Executive Officer Jacob Nyirongo expressed fear that persistent rains that some districts were receiving, particularly in the Northern Region, could potentially destroy maize that is already mature.
