Zambia is food secure – FRA

ZAMBIA is food secure because current maize stocks are sufficient, the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has said.
FRA executive director, Chola Kafwabulula said there were 53,000 tonnes of maize carried over from last year and purchased more than 323,000 tonnes in the ongoing crop marketing season.
Mr Kafwabulula said in Sinda district on Tuesday that in case of any disaster or humanitarian need, the 53,000 tonnes carryover stocks could be more than sufficient.
He said Zambia was not in a lean period when stakeholders like millers could approach the FRA for maize because there was so much grain on the market.
“With those figures and given that there is no pressure on the FRA stocks from the millers, we are more than food secure as a country.
“There’s nothing to worry about but of course we have to meet the target (one million tonnes) that Government has given us,” Mr Kafwabulula said.
He said when going into a new purchasing season, FRA ensures that it has sufficient carryover stocks in case of any eventuality.