Maravi

(LUSAKATIMES) Eastern Province in bumper harvest

Eastern Province in bumper harvest
November 7, 2008

GOVERNMENT has said the performance of the agricultural sector in Eastern Province during the 2007/08 farming season has been very good compared to other regions.

Cooperatives and Marketing Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Bernard Namachila, said during the 2007/08 farming season, the province produced 267,596 metric tonnes of maize.

Mr. Namachila also said 21,621 tonnes of sunflower and 20,014 tonnes of groundnuts were produced during the same period in the province respectively.

He was speaking when he officiated at the launch of the National Fertilizer Support Programme (NFSP) held at Crystal Springs hotel in Chipata yesterday.

Mr. Namachila attributed the bumper harvest to the good agricultural policy introduced by government coupled with timely distribution of inputs, good rainfall and hard work by farmers.

“I am proud to say that Eastern Province has recorded a bumper harvest in a number of crops like maize, groundnuts and sunflower to name but a few,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary said the province also produced 4,277 tons of soyabeans, 60,512 tonnes of cotton and 169 tons of tobacco.

Mr. Namachila congratulated the farmers in the province and staff from the department of agriculture for working hard, adding that the production of the crops was not a mean achievement.

He called on them to continue working hard because government regarded Eastern Province as an important agricultural production region which contributed significantly to the national food basket.

The PS noted that all the logistics for the inputs distribution exercise under FSP were in place not only in Eastern Province but countrywide.

“I expect farmers to start collecting inputs soon after this workshop in all the districts. To my officers, your role is to implement the programme according to the laid down regulations and you should avoid unnecessary problems for yourselves and government,’’ he said.

ZANIS/ENDS/SM/EB

Labels: COOPERATIVES, EASTERN PROVINCE, FSP

posted by MrK @ 7:04 PM