To help stabilize prices of stock feed, the Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) Executive Manager, Mr. Dominic Chanda has called on Government to trade cautiously when exporting maize and soya beans. Zambia is this year expected to record a fourth historic maize bumper harvest in 26 years estimated at 3.4 million tons, and soya beans is expected to increase by 47 percent from 281,389 tons the previous season. “We need to secure the maize and soya beans we have produced and minimize exports to avoid the situation we faced last year. I am appealing to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries not to allow exports at this stage. “If we start exporting early, we may have a shortage and the prices of stock feed will be hiked, thereby negatively affecting the small-scale poultry farmers who are growing chickens and this might affect the consumers. Mr. Chanda said. The Executive Manager added that exports of soybeans should not be entertained at all costs especially at this moment instead the focus should be on exporting value added products. The poultry industry has grown in the recent past coupled with expansions and new investments in feed processing. As a result, we need all the soybeans produced to be used locally, Mr. Chanda said. The government through FRA has announced the flow price for maize for the 2020/21 marketing season which stand at ZMK 110 per 50 kgs bag. Mr. Chanda welcomed the maize price reduction indicating that this move will help cushion the price of stock feed and help revamp the livestock sector. Source: http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/paz-tips-state-on-soya-beans-maize-export/
