Agriculture experts say Malawi maize production up by 17%
Agriculture experts say maize production this year will go up by 17 per cent.
This is according to the third round of crop estimates by the Ministry of Agriculture projecting that maize production.
The assessment exercise shows the crop yield of 4.4million metric tonnes this year as compared to 3.7 metric tonnes realised in 2020.
The report further shows that the country will produce enough maize while beans and cotton production will drop.
The assessment was also done on livestock and various crops except tobacco, which is the country’s major foreign exchange earner.
It is indicated that there will be a slight drop in beans production due to a lack of support from the Affordable Input Program.
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If maize output is expected to increase by 17% when the expenditure on AIP increased by more than 400% (from FISP 2019/20 level), then the program is not efficient. We are getting diminishing returns from it.
This year the rains are not good, so this can be achieved only if God can send at least good rains for three weeks or four. Again I predict low production of rice which will result in higher prices of rice. As for tobacco, I have moved across the country and expect bad results.
Shall we not hear of famine stricken Malawi after harvest? Estimates shall remain as such – estimates. The real figures and situation shall be during harvest. Do you remember what led to the Zambian maize scam? Poor estimates by MVAC. Politicians capitalised on the poor estimates and created the need for importation of maize. What followed we all know.