Maravi

PAM predicts rise in food prices

PAM predicts rise in food prices
By Mwila Chansa and Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Thursday May 08, 2008 [04:00]

THE Programme Against Malnutrition (PAM) predicts further rise in food prices and that Zambia is likely to import its consumption for 2009/2010 owing to government’s reduced funding to the agriculture sector. Commenting on the escalating global food prices and their implications for Zambia, PAM executive director Paul Kapotwe said reduced inflation trends that Zambia had been scoring in recent years may also not be sustained as a downturn was expected in view of food price increases.

“For Zambia, the rise in food prices could not have come at a worse time than now when the country is still reeling from the impact of floods in most parts of the country,” Kapotwe said. “Rising global food prices are also happening at a time when the government has reduced funding to the agriculture sector and social protection as pronounced in the national budget for 2008.

The implications of the above scenarios is that agricultural production for the 2008/2009 season and the consequent harvest and income levels for producers will also be very low.

As a result of this low food production in the 2008/2009 season, food prices are expected to rise and food imports may not be unusual in 2009/2010 period.”

Kapotwe further said the average crop harvest for maize still remains at 1.1 tonne per hectare when scientific evidence indicated that up to 8 tonnes could be realised in a hectare and that market opportunities and infrastructure to support increased agribusiness was also weak.

Labels: FOOD, INFLATION, MALNUTRITION

posted by MrK @ 12:41 PM