• Government policies encouraged small scale farmers to produce more soya beans than commercial farmers.
• Increased production has made Zambia become the largest exporter of soya meal in East and Southern Africa.
• Increasing annual production of the commodity to over 600 000MT will reduce prices of cooking oil.

A Commodity Analyst says government policies on soya beans significantly contributed to small scale farmers producing more soya beans than commercial for the first time last year.
In an interview with Money FM News, Nkandu Mwenge said government’s move not to restrict the exportation of soya meal has attracted more farmers to produce soya beans in the country.
‘’ Zambia’s policies for oil seeds production are fantastic. The country was barely producing soya beans 10 years ago, but now we are producing alot soya beans,’’ he said.
‘‘Government does not restrict exportation of soya meals extracts and the high prices have attracted alot of farmers to produce more soya.’’
Mr. Mwenge further revealed that the increase in the production of soya beans has made Zambia the largest exporter of non Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) soya meal in East and Southern Africa.
‘‘Soya beans farmers are have had an impact on the oil seed industry in East and Southern Africa as the country has moved from producing 30 000 metric tonnes 10 years ago to producing over 300 000 metric,’’ he added.
He noted that if production of soya beans is further increased to over 600 000 metric tonnes from the current 300 0000 metrics per year, then the subsector will lead to the reduction of commodity prices of cooking oil and stock feed.
‘‘What we need to do is produce more oil seeds as that is the only way we can reduce importation of edible oils,’’ Mr. Mwenge said.