The Zambia Rice Federation (ZRF) has advised government to start regulating rice that is imported from other countries and only allow good quality produce into the country.

This comes following a complaint that most of the rice on the Zambian Market is imported from Asia and is cheaper than that is locally grown and of lower quality.

The Diocese of Mongu Development Centre, a member of the Zambia Rice Federation, says this has negatively affected the Zambian Rice dealers as customers are mostly attracted to the cheaper produce, without knowing about its poor quality.

Company Business Development Manager Kebby Kalima has told Money FM News in an interview that the local farmers have trouble finding a market as the Food Reserve Agency does not buy enough and there are no organisations that buy rice in bulk in Zambia.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kalima says farmers are forced to recycle their seed as they do not have certified seed which leads to the farmers harvesting small yields adding that extension services are limited and hence farmers are not being helped to produce high quality yields.

He has therefore advised that government should pump enough money into rice farming as it has the potential to feed the region if the incentives are available.

There has been talk among farmers about the need for government to fund other crops as much as it does maize as it continues in the economic diversification agenda and to enable diversity in the agriculture sector.