ZAMBIA – The government of Zambia has unveiled that it is set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Democratic republic of Congo (DRC) that will see Zambia export maize to the Central African country.
The Zambian government says it is capable of supplying 1.3 million metric tonnes of maize to the DRC to enable the country meet supply maize deficit, reports Lusaka Times.
According to the acting Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Moses Mawere, the government MoU will also facilitate for trade of agriculture products.
He unveiled that the government has begun facilitating for trade between the two countries noting that the draft document of the agreement will be ready and shared with the DRC counterparts by the early July this year.
Jacques Katwe, DRC Haut-Katanga Province governor, affirmed that Congo is depending on Zambia to help with providing it with food security through the export of maize and mealie meal.
However, he highlighted that while the country imports mealie meal from Zambia there is need to promote agriculture in order to increase production of maize and other Agriculture produce.
Mr. Katwe says the province has come up with a policy aimed at promoting Agriculture in Katanga and the country as a whole.
He said that the formulation of the MoU will also stop illegal vices in the export of maize such as smuggling and fraud.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Songowayo Zyambo says the country has enough maize stock for local consumption and export.
He says the country is exploring means of investing in the maize production in the Northern part of Zambia to meet the growing demand of the product.
