Zambia faces acute corn shortfall

Published 2024년 6월 11일

Tridge summary

Zambia is projected to face a severe corn shortage in the marketing year 2024-25 due to a significant drop in production caused by extended dry spells during the El Niño weather pattern, leading to the smallest corn crop in the country in the past 15 years. The drought has resulted in total crop failure in many regions, forcing President Hakainde Hichilema to declare a "National Disaster and Emergency." To maintain food security, Zambia plans to import approximately 1 million tonnes of corn, with the government allowing the private sector to import GM-free corn, effectively limiting sources to neighboring Tanzania and excluding South Africa, where the majority of corn is grown with genetically engineered seeds.

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Original content

Zambia could import about 1 million tonnes of corn in marketing year 2024-25 to maintain food security following a 50% drop in production of the nation’s staple crop due to extended dry spells associated with the El Niño weather pattern, according to a report from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The projected 1.6 million tonnes of corn in 2024-25 is the smallest corn crop produced in Zambia over the past 15 years. The season started off well with a 20% upsurge in planted corn area driven by elevated domestic price and at the expense of soybean area. However, prolonged dry spells overlapped with crucial vegetative and flowering stages for corn, and with February being the driest and hottest month since 1981, resulted in total crop failure in many regions of Zambia, the FAS said. “Corn is the single most important crop in Zambia and is the national staple food,” the FAS said. “Corn production in Zambia is dominated by smallholder ...

Source: UkrAgroConsult