Tanzania pledges to sell 650,000 tonnes of maize to Zambia

Tanzania has pledged to sell 650,000 tonnes of maize to Zambia in response to the devastating effects of El Niño-induced drought. The agreement, signed between Tanzania’s National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) and Zambia’s counterpart in Dar es Salaam, aims to address food shortages exacerbated by the dry spell.

According to Tanzania’s Agriculture Minister Hussein Bashe, the NFRA will fulfil the maize supply within the next eight months. Tanzania, anticipating a significant surplus this season with 8.1 million tons of corn produced against a national demand of less than 6 million tons of corn regionally, intends to export 1 million tons of corn to neighbouring countries grappling with shortages of this staple food.

Meanwhile, Zambeef PLC in Zambia has completed a successful 130-hectare winter maize project in Mpongwe district. Responding to the government’s call for increased winter maize farming, Zambeef has already delivered over 17,000 tons of maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) as part of a contracted supply of 20,000 tons.

Ezekiel Sekele, Zambeef PLC’s Executive for Corporate Affairs and Sustainability said the company will “continue to support the country’s food security agenda,” after inspecting the 130 hectares winter maize project at the Zambeef Mpongwe farms.