Tag: Maize

Rwanda attains self-sufficiency in production of maize, wheat, soybean seeds cutting off imports

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RWANDA – Rwanda’s investment in boosting local production of seeds has begun to pay of as the government has indicated it will not import seeds of maize, wheat and soya, in the coming agricultural season. This, according to Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources Gerardine Mukeshimana, follows attainment of seed production sufficiency of 100 percent in the current season. “That is why in the instructions we gave to the farmers we have shown specific prices for these seeds and we will no longer help the farmers import them, whoever wants…

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Zambia sources for alternative corn markets following bumper harvest registered in the country, neighbouring nations

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ZAMBIA – Zambia’s production of its single most important crop, corn, is set to reach an all-time high record in the Marketing Year (MY) 2021/22 reaching 3.6 million tons. The bumper harvest follows its production of 3.4 million tons in 2020/21 and 2 million tons in 2019/20. The steady rise in production is attributed to increase area put under production and productivity courtesy of availability and adoption of improved production technologies like higher-potential hybrid seeds and fertilizer. However, the cultivation of genetically engineered corn is still prohibited in the country.…

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South Africa to remain net exporter of corn despite decline in production

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SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa is expected to register its second largest corn crop output in history in the Marketing Year 2020/21, reaching 16.8 million tons. The bumper out-put is set to put downward pressure on local corn prices, which will influence producers’ decisions on the area to be planted with corn later in 2021, for the 2021/22 MY. Hence, a GAIN report by USDA, forecasts a nine percent drop in the commercial corn area to 2.5 million hectares, resulting in corn production of 15.0 million tons, which is 11…

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Tanzanian agriculture firm FFF seeks to boost maize, macadamia production with US$1.1m investment

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TANZANIA – Farm For the Future (FFF), a Tanzanian agricultural firm has revealed plans of investing US$1.1 million in the construction of a dam and setting up irrigation systems. The facilities will be utilized to provide water for its 250-hectare farm put under maize and macadamia nuts production. According to reports by Citizen Tanzania, the environmental impact assessment on the project is under way and construction of the dam is set to commence in August 2021. The irrigation systems will be installed in 2022 to pave the way for planting…

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Absa Bank Ghana alongside other investors participate in Ghanaian Green Gold Farms’ US$1.6m fundraising

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GHANA – Green Gold Farms, a Ghanaian agribusiness start-up, has completed raising US$1.6 million from Absa Bank Ghana, Diaspora Capital, Channel Ventures, EPMT Fund, and a number of early-stage seed investors. Green Gold Farms is a mechanized commercial farm, vertically orientated, and value adding agriculture business in the West African country. The capital raised will allow the farm to invest primarily in capital equipment to scale-up production of organic and non-GMO crops such as maize and soybeans; generate large numbers of well-paying, sustainable jobs; and launch an out-grower program for…

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Kenya’s demand for grains to surpass local production forcing reliance on imports

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KENYA – Kenya is a diverse country with many agro-ecological zones (AEZs) which makes it ideal for agriculture production. However, the country is expected to remain a net importer for corn, wheat, and rice in the Marketing Year 2021/22 as local production does not match demand levels. According to a GAIN report prepared by USDA, the East African nation is expected to produce 4 million MT of its staple grain, corn, during the period under review. This will be against consumption levels of 4.5 million MT due to a rise…

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Attractive prices lure Brazilian farmers to corn cultivation, production expected to hit 105m tonnes

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BRAZIL — Despite a smaller-than-expected first crop and delayed planting of second, Brazil corn produce is expected to reach a record 105 million tonnes in the 2020-21, according to a Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA in its report noted that corn production is expected to increase thanks to elevated domestic demand and record-setting prices which make the crop more attractive to Brazillian farmers. The Agency attributes boosted domestic corn prices to strong demand from the poultry and livestock sectors, the growing…

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Kenya lifts ban on maize imports from Tanzania, Uganda under strict conditions

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KENYA – Kenya has lifted the ban on imports of Ugandan and Tanzanian maize citing strict terms that the exporters and importers need to adhere to, in a bid to curb shipping in of contaminated crops. The East African nation stopped the importation of maize from the neighbouring countries after the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives, undertook a study on the grains which revealed they contained high levels of mycotoxins beyond safety levels. To this end the Ministry has indicated that…

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Kenya raises concerns on safety of maize imported from Tanzania, Uganda

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KENYA – Kenya has with immediate effect banned the importation of maize from Tanzania and Uganda citing safety health concerns. This comes after the Kenya Agriculture and Food Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives undertook a study on produce from the two neighbouring countries, which revealed that the maize contained high levels of mycotoxins beyond safety levels. “The Authority has been conducting surveillance on the safety of food imports to Kenya. Test results for maize imported from Uganda and Tanzania have revealed high levels of mycotoxins…

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South Africa to register bumper maize production in 2020/21 with demand driven by local consumption

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SOUTH AFRICA – Favourable weather in the Southern Africa region will boost South Africa’s maize/corn production during the 2020/21 market year (MY), to hit the 16 million tons mark, the same level as the bumper harvest of 2019/20, according the latest USDA report. This current estimate is 14% higher than the previous one by USDA in a GAIN report, which had previously indicated the figure could reach 12.6 million tons. This is a slight departure from the country’s Crop Estimates Committee (CEC), which released its final production tally indicating that…

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