Maravi

(LUSAKATIMES) Parliamentarian wants govt to find market for Sweet Potatoes

Parliamentarian wants govt to find market for Sweet Potatoes
Monday, July 13, 2009, 8:34

Bweengwa Constituency Member of Parliament, MP, Highvie Hamundundu, wants government consider helping identify a market for Sweet potatoes being produced by women groups in Monze district in Southern province.

Mr Hamundundu says lack of well established markets for the produce is discouraging women to increase production of the crop. Mr Hamundundu says government should facilitate market access for agricultural produce as a measure of encouraging diversification and enhanced performance of the sector.

He told ZANIS in Lusaka that sweet potatoes can significantly contribute to foreign exchange earnings if producers are availed access to regional and international markets.

He observed that the produce has high demand in some neighbouring countries hence the need for government to enforce deliberate measures to facilitate the export of the commodity.

He observed that cassava and beef from Zambia is on high demand in Nigeria due to a private sector driven policy.

Zambian sweet potatoes are of high quality and demand in neighbouring Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe
“Zambian sweet potatoes are of high quality and demand in neighbouring Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe but I wonder why the Zambian government cannot find a good market for our products when other countries are doing it. I believe preserving and processing the sweet potatoes is another way of packaging sweet potatoes.

“Cassava and beef from Zambia is on high demand in Nigeria because of the private sector driven policy,” Mr. Hamundundu said.

According to Mr. Hamundundu, Monze district in Southern province has the capacity of producing over 400,000 metric tonnes of sweet potatoes annually that can greatly contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

ZANIS

Labels: CASSAVA, HIGHVIE HAMUDUDU, SWEET POTATOES

posted by MrK @ 2:49 PM