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Mbeya DC bans export of maize
2006-01-31 09:11:24
By Deogratius Kiduduye, PST, Mbeya
There should be no more maize exportations in Mbeya Region until the drought spell is over, Mbeya District Commissioner Moshi Chang’a has said.
The government will take punitive actions against people or firms in the region that would dare export the cereal crop in the face of the current drought stalking the nation, he said at the weekend.
In November, Mbeya Regional Commissioner Matteo Qaresi said there was no good reason why farmers should not export maize to neighbouring Malawi and Zambia, where the prices of the crop are higher, to save themselves from poverty.
Chang’a said, however, that the region was likely to face food shortage following inadequate rainfall and the available food should be stored for bad days ahead.
’Do not misuse available food hoping that you’ll be supplied with relief food from the government.
This food is for drought hit areas only,’ the DC cautioned.
The current higher maize prizes in neighbouring countries should not lure farmers in the region to exhaust their stocks because the consequences would be fatal, he said.
Qaresi had said on fear that maize exports would create shortage of the crop:
’These fears are baseless because we have more maize than we need which has led to a drop in prizes, it’s therefore sensible for capable farmers to export their produce to the two countries that are currently facing the food shortage crisis.’
The RC had said the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security should abolish maize export permits issuance as a way of curbing illegal exportation of maize, a move that would benefit farmers by improving the quality of their lives.
Over 320 tonnes of maize from Iringa and Mbeya regions worth 67.2m/- were then being exported on a daily basis to Malawi and Zimbabwe through the Kasumulu border post in Kyela District.
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