• Soyabeans production is projected to increase from 296,686 metric tonnes in the previous to 411,115 metric tons.
• There is a huge demand for soyabeans on the export market.
• The country should be engaging in a massive export drive to immediately sell the maize surplus of 1.5 million tonnes.

Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) says the projected increase in Soyabeans production from 296,686 metric tonnes in the previous to 411,115 metric tons is an indication that farmers have now embraced soya beans as a commercial crop and a key crop in the diversification agenda.
ZNFU President Jervis Zimba noted that there is a huge demand for soyabeans on the export market because the crop supports poultry and edible oil production.
Mr. Zimba further congratulated farmers countrywide for attaining a national yield of 3.6 million metric tons of maize compared to 3.4 million metric tonnes recorded in the 2019/2020 farming season.
“The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) congratulates the farmers countrywide for attaining a national yield of 3,620,244 metric tons of maize compared to 3.4 million metric tonnes recorded in the 2019/2020 farming season. Further, 411,115 metric tons of soya beans was produced compared to 296,686 metric tonnes in the previous season which translates to a 67% increase.”
“This is an indication that farmers have now embraced soya beans as a commercial crop and a key crop in the diversification agenda. The good news is that soyabeans supports poultry production, edible oil production and there is demand for it in the export market,” Mr. Zimba said.
He noted that overall trends of the crop forecast as announced by Minister of Agriculture Michael Katambo revealed progress as production went up for most commodities.
Mr. Zimba stressed the need to sustain the recorded progress by ensuring that the right market incentives are in place to guarantee farmers get fair prices that will enable them to participate in the next farming season.
“In general, from the fifteen commodities reported through the crop forecast only five commodities recorded a decline in production. Therefore, overall trends of the crop forecast revealed progress as production went up for most commodities but also there was an increase in area under cultivation which demonstrates that there is an increased uptake in crop farming in the country generally.”
“Having attained such milestones, our take is that the progress we have made MUST be sustained. One cardinal factor towards safeguarding future production is by ensuring that the right market incentives are in place to guarantee farmers get fair prices that will enable them to participate in the next farming season,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Zimba appealed to government to invite Democratic Republic of Congo to officially source their 600,000 metric tonnes of maize and Mealie meal as agreed under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two countries.
He said the country should be engaging in a massive export drive to immediately sell the maize surplus of 1.5 million tonnes.
On exports, it was highlighted that the country has attained a maize surplus and exports will not be denied but will be through the millers who will in turn create a market for farmers, then 80,000 metric tonnes of the grain will be exported through the World Food Programme and arrangements will be put in place for the early maize which will be grown next season for export.
“Our instant take on this marketing strategy is that the country will not tap into the regional markets in an optimal way because we are not sending a signal that we are open for maize export business and we cannot understand why. Zambia should be alive to the fact that the region has had a good crop overall and the country has a huge surplus of 1.5 million tonnes.”
“The ZNFU appeals to Government to address this anomaly with urgency because the country should be engaging in a massive export drive to sell the surplus immediately. This should include inviting the Democratic Republic of Congo to come and source their 600,000 metric tonnes of maize and Mealie meal officially as agreed under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Such an announcement would end the smuggling immediately.”
He further called on government to revoke the Statutory Instrument (SI) that deters maize export by slapping a 10% export tax on maize grain exports.
“Winding back, when the Ministry of Finance introduced this tax, it was stated by the then Minister of Finance, Honorable Mutati and the former Minister of Agriculture Honorable Dora Siliya that when national harvest exceeds 2.2 million metric tons, the 10% export tax would automatically be removed. We, therefore, appeal to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Agriculture to act swiftly and remove the 10% export tax now that the country has produced 3.6 million tonnes. This will make the maize grain become attractive to trade in the region and help us avoid oversupply on the domestic market,” he advised.