Chipata's Mboza ward women receive poultry equipment
By Peter Sukwa in Chipata
Thu 26 Dec. 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE government under the Ministry of Gender and Child Development has handed over various poultry and other farming equipment to several women clubs in Chipata's Mboza ward in an effort to alleviate poverty among women in the country.
The equipment which includes 105 small and big drinkers, feeders, five ox-carts and 10 ploughs were donated to 11 women groups at Kasuma Primary School in Kasenengwa Constituency on Monday.
Speaking when he handed over the equipment, Chipata district commissioner Kalunga Zulu, who was represented by district administrative officer, Masautso Banda, said government had decided to empower women in the country to uplift their living standards.
Zulu said that the government through the Ministry of Gender and Child Development had set aside equipment for women groups for their various income-generating activities countrywide.
He said supporting women entrepreneurship activities was one step towards reducing women vulnerability and gender-based violence perpetrated by men in the country.
He said government remains committed to supporting women's efforts in reducing poverty at their individual and households levels in the country.
Acting provincial Gender and Child Development officer, Ariel Tembo, said his office was happy that the government had finally handed over the equipment to women in the area.
Tembo said that it was important that every club must have few men who would assist in strengthening and encouraging women to work hard.
And Mboza women clubs coordinator, William Zulu, thanked President Michael Sata for having a heart for the poor in rural areas.
Meanwhile, induna Muzimakazi of chief Mishoro's area said the chief was happy that government was helping the poor in the community.
Induna Muzimakazi said the PF government had performed wonders in a short period of time they have been in power, which a lot of people never expected.
Labels: CHIPATA, POULTRY, WOMEN
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‘Restrictions on importation of poultry products will inhibit economic growth'
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Tue 03 Apr. 2012, 12:57 CAT
ZACA says restrictions in the importation of poultry products from South Africa will inhibit the growth of the economy and market competition. But the Poultry Association of Zambia has said the country is not facing any deficit in poultry products to warrant imports.
In an interview yesterday, Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga said the association fully supports the importation of poultry products from South Africa as it was good for consumer choice and market competition.
Ililonga said the recent attacks on the decision by Shoprite and Game Stores to import chickens from South Africa were unjustified and not good for the market.
He said the Minister of Agriculture Emmanuel Chenda should not promote local curtails that could breed uncompetitiveness in poultry products at the expense of consumer welfare.
Ililonga said import competition was good for consumer welfare and there was no need to block Zambians from accessing affordable sources of protein simply because some individuals had complained that they would be out of the market.
He said his association was saddened that the government was not addressing the main problem of Zambia being uncompetitive.
"South Africa itself is facing import competition with chickens from Brazil but they have not blocked importation of chickens. Brazil is producing chickens at a cheaper price than South Africa and the poultry association in South Africa has complained to their trade commission not merely to arm-twist government like the way the Poultry Association of Zambia and the Farmers Union are doing," Ililonga said.
He said as long as the government restricts competition and allows inefficiency; the jobs in the poultry sector would remain at less than 400 jobs.
Ililonga said opening up the poultry market for importation and competition would compel local producers to be innovative, lessen their production costs and give value to the consumers.
He said in addressing the challenges facing the poultry industry, the government must investigate why the cost of stock feed in Zambia remained very high despite consecutive bumper harvests.
"The main ingredient in stock feed is maize and the complaint of farmers in poultry is the cost of stock feed. In countries where competition commissions are robust, they have investigated curtails in the stock feed industry and they have dealt with them but here these curtails of continued to pass costs to farmers and consumers are now bearing all these costs," Ililonga said.
But Poultry Association of Zambia executive manager Mathews Ngosa says the South African poultry industry is collapsing owing to imports from Brazil.
Labels: POULTRY, SHOPRITE, ZACA
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Poultry farmers condemn importation permits
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Mon 24 Oct. 2011, 09:00 CAT
LOCAL chicken farmers are
upset with the Ministry of Agriculture's permit for imported chicken parts, which they say spells a complete demise of the poultry industry.Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) chairperson Dr Evelyn Nguleka accused officials from Ministry of Agriculture of economic sabotage for allowing importation of chicken parts.
Since 2006, Zambia had imposed a ban on the importation of poultry products due to new castle disease in South Africa and other parts of the world.
The ban saw an increase in investment into the local poultry sector as the country strived to become self-reliant.
Currently, the industry is the largest in the livestock sector with an investment of more than US $600 million and employment opportunities for 50,000 Zambians.
"We strongly feel the importation of chicken portions into this country will not only undermine the successes so far scored by the industry but spell a complete demise of the entire industry," Dr Nguleka said in a statement.
"It is a pity that we are not sharing the same vision with officials at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, who for reasons known to themselves can choose to risk the livelihoods of so many Zambians by carelessly issuing importation permits of chicken portions without consultation with stakeholders and without due regard to the negative impact such actions may have on the local industry."
Dr Nguleka said the poultry industry survived the worst challenges in 2009 and was on the road to full recovery when officials elected to create "a scandal" by issuing permits to companies that were not in any way linked to the poultry industry but pure vendors of poultry and poultry products.
"The consequences of such behavior, if not checked, will result in untold misery to so many Zambians whose livelihoods are dependent on the poultry industry," said Dr Nguleka.
"There will be massive job losses for workers in the production farms, processing plants, stock feed plants, veterinary service companies and labs, hatcheries and poultry equipment suppliers.
It will also result in complete collapse of the small-scale producers sector, whose income and food security hinges on poultry production."
Efforts to get a comment from livestock permanent secretary Isaac Phiri proved futile by press time as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Labels: POULTRY, TARIFFS
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Irvine’s slaughtering 200 000 chickens per week, VP Mujuru told
Thursday, 06 October 2011 00:00
Herald Reporter
Irvine's Zimbabwe, one of the largest poultry rearing companies in the country, is slaughtering 200 000 chickens every week and producing 570 000 eggs daily.
This is a result of the US$5 million the firm invested in the business two years ago. All the chickens are for local consumption while some of the eggs are exported to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Irvine's Zimbabwe chief executive officer, Mr David Irvine, yesterday revealed this to Vice President Joice Mujuru during a tour of the company's plant. Mr Irvine said the company was also providing day-old chicks to rural areas.
"We are slaughtering about 200 000 chickens a week all for local consumption. We are also producing 570 000 eggs but we are exporting some to DRC. We are providing day-old chicks to rural areas and we are trying to teach them how to keep them commercially," he said.
VP Mujuru said the level of production at Irvine's Zimbabwe was impressive. She urged people to utilise land given to them under the land reform programme to cut on imports.
She said production in all sectors of the economy was the only solution to problems facing the country.
"What we are missing in this country is that we no longer have a middle class. We have got farms and we should be able to farm. This country is very strict on GMOs and GMOs should be prevented right from the farm.
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Our people should think of production, production of soya beans, maize and other crops should help to boost our industry," she said.
VP Mujuru said Government should support local businesspeople to improve the lives of people and also to boost the economy.
"What is impressive is that Mr Irvine came to my office two years ago talking about expansion and it is important that they have lived up to their word. This is what we want and Government should support our local entrepreneurs. I am really impressed by what I have seen here and we want to see more other Irvine's out there doing other things," she said.
Labels: GMOS, JOICE MUJURU, POULTRY
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Karoi embarks on poultry, horticultural projects
Saturday, 25 June 2011 23:52 Agriculture
From Noah Pito in Hurungwe
KAROI Town Council has embarked on poultry and horticultural projects in a bid to widen the revenue base.
Apart from venturing into a 40-hectare seed maize project at its New Forest Farm last year, the council has started a horticultural project that will see a hectare each under vegetables such as rape, onion, cabbage, cucumbers and tomatoes in the coming few weeks.
Land preparation is complete at a site near its New Forest Farm dam and planting of the vegetables is already underway.
The council has also initiated a beekeeping venture near the dam. The horticultural project will target ready markets in Hurungwe, Kariba and Chirundu One-Stop Border Post, while the honey project will target the local community.
At the local authority’s Shambatungwe Farm, a broiler project — which started two months ago — is in full swing with about 2 000 birds averaging 2,2kg in dressed mass, having been so far sold to local hotels, butcheries, takeaways and individuals.
Town secretary Mr Maxwell Kaitano said the local authority is aiming at expanding the broiler project to attain a turnover of 60 000 birds per year.
“We are in the process of constructing proper fowl runs,” he said.
“So far we have been using the improvised tobacco grading sheds to house the birds. After construction of the fowl runs, we are targeting to raise our turnover to 60 000 birds per year. This will be achieved by raising six batches of 10 000 fowls each at a time. In the next cropping season, the council is looking at growing up to 200 hectares of commercial maize, 70 hectares of soya and 20 hectares dry- land tobacco.
Tobacco will be grown at Shambatungwe Farm, where there is adequate infrastructure, while maize and soya will be grown at the New Forest Farm.
Karoi Town Council is operating in partnership with the Urban Development Corporation (Udcorp) and there is a specialist farm manager, Mr Charles Bvukumbwi, who is in charge of all the agricultural projects.-The Sunday Mail
Labels: COUNCILS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, POULTRY
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Local is better!
By Golden Sibanda
Sunday, 09 January 2011 20:56
STAKEHOLDERS behind the Buy Zimbabwe Campaign have intensified calls for consumption of locally manufactured products after a South African firm admitted exporting recycled chickens to Zimbabwe.
The stakeholders said that the South African chickens could be hazardous to health in addition to being of inferior quality compared to local birds. It also emerged the chickens were reworked and injected with brine.
Stakeholders behind the Buy Zimbabwe Campaign include the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe and the Marketers’ Association of Zimbabwe. Efforts are underway to rope in the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries.
Nicoz Diamond managing director Ms Grace Muradzikwa chairs the Buy Zimbabwe Campaign programme, an initiative of My Own Boss Ventures.
Buy Zimbabwe campaign spokesperson Mr Munyaradzi Hwengwere said the consumption of local poultry was more critical now amid fears that the practice by Supreme Poultry of South Africa could be the tip of an iceberg.
Government has since revoked Supreme Poultry’s export licence after the firm admitted recycling and repackaging chickens before sending them back to the markets, including Zimbabwe, under new expiry dates.
An investigation has also been instituted into the other South African firms that export chickens to Zimbabwe and Government may revoke their licences if they are deemed to be exporting reworked birds into the country.
The calls for a switch to locally made products come at a time industry is still battling with issues of capacity to be able to meet demand.
Said Mr Hwengwere: “It is a vicious cycle, isn’t it? But if we buy locally made products industry will be able to produce and reduce the cost of production and that would ultimately result in the reduction of prices,” said Mr Hwengwere.
He pointed that sticking to imports, some of which have lower prices compared to local products, would make it difficult for industry to cut the cost of production, which has a significant bearing on the ultimate cost of goods.
Mr Hwengwere applauded the Government’s move to ban the importation of products from Supreme Poultry and called for a broad-based investigation that goes beyond the poultry industry into other sectors.
The Buy Zimbabwe initiative recognises the need to support healthy competition, but says Zimbabwe requires an urgent response to the infiltration of the many substandard products and services in the country at the expense of the consumer, local business and the economy.
Zimbabwe’s reliance on imported products, especially from South Africa, has been a result of a decade-long economic instability, which has reduced industry’s capacity to produce at lower cost and meet demand.
“The Buy Zimbabwe Campaign clearly seeks to ensure that Zimbabwean products that have over the years epitomised these values regain their status and recognition in the hearts and minds of Zimbabwean consumers.”
In his 2011 National Budget Statement Finance Minister Tendai Biti projected that the country would import about US$3 billion worth of goods and export an estimated US$2,3 billion worth of exports this year.
While the volume of locally made products has increased in supermarkets, CZI contends that at 40 percent exports still account for an unacceptable proportion of products that are sold on the local retail market.
Labels: LOCALISATION, POULTRY
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Breeders must stop misleading Govt
EDITOR — I have been rearing day-old chicks for the past two years.
Less than two months ago, Vetco, Farm and City, Crest Breeders and Irvines were in the news agitating that Government must stop imports of chicken products.
Their claim was that there were adequate day-old chicks to meet breeders’ requirements. Some black association leaders, in league with these white-owned conglomerates, joined in.
However, today, all the above-mentioned are either refusing totally to accept what they claimed, or they only supply a fraction of the orders.
The reasons given are flimsy, e.g "During winter, stocks are low. Eggs do not hatch sufficiently to meet market demands."
Why are they not providing factual information to Government instead of misleading it? I urge The Herald to cross check this story in order to help correct the distortions made in print as well as the electronic media by spokespersons of these groups.
As of now, there is absolutely no substance for Government to stop imports as entrepreneurs in the chicken breeding business are being deprived of a source of income. Breeders cannot adequately supply day-old chicks. Full stop.
Interested Party.
Bulawayo.
Labels: POULTRY, SABOTAGE, WHITE FARMERS
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COMMENT - A Black Farmer led agriculture is showing surpluses, despite sanctions. Which makes eminent sense. Africans always produced the majority of food even before land reform. Now there is much more access to land, food production is set to explode. This is why the US and UK want to continue the economic sanctions against Zimbabwe. Without hindrance, Zimbabweans will grow their economy to unprecedented levels, which creates a bright example for South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Kenya to follow.
Zimbabwe Govt Called on to Ban Poultry Imports Tuesday, March 30, 2010
ZIMBABWE - Farmers are urging the government to ban imports of poultrymeat.
Local farmers want Government to suspend importation of chickens for three months because they have built up large stocks they are failing to sell because of competition from imports, reports The Herald of Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe Poultry Association chairman, George Nare, said farmers had 1,400 tonnes of frozen poultry in stock because South African and South American imports had priced them out of the market.
He said farmers were now being forced to rent storage space for their poultry. According to the association, monthly production of broiler day-old chicks stood at 2.5 million, surpassing average historic production figures of 2.3 million between 2002 and 2007.
Mr Nare said: "This implies the poultry industry currently has the capacity to produce plus or minus 3,000 tonnes of poultry meat per month. This production is enough to sustain the local poultry meat demands."
He recommended removing the value-added tax on day-old chicks, duties on breeding stock and feed additives, saying they contributed to the higher price of local chickens compared to imports.
It is also alleged that South African and South American poultry are heavily injected with a brine saltwater solution to levels as high as 40 per cent. Local regulations are ofor a maximum of 15 per cent brine. The brine solution increases bird weight when frozen. However, the solution seeps out before and during cooking leaving the actual meat content at 60 to 70 per cent of the original weight.
Mr Nare added: "The main aim of brining chicken is to improve its flavour but business people and processors of imported chicken are now using it to maximise their profits by putting on artificial weight on frozen chickens."
This, he said, means local chickens are better value for money. He called on the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe to educate people to make informed decisions when buying chickens.
The Herald reports that last week, the government refused the livestock industry permission to import genetically modified (GM) cereals for stock feed, saying they could compromise the quality of export meat.
The MeatSite News Desk
Labels: AGRICULTURE, NEOCOLONIALISM, POULTRY, ZIMBABWE
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PS urges protection of poultry industry
By Justin Katilungu in Kabwe
Wed 04 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT
ZAMBIA'S poultry industry should be protected and nurtured as it has the great potential of uplifting the living standards of the people especially those in rural areas, Central Province permanent secretary Denny Lumbama has said.
Lumbama said that the poultry industry in Zambia had in the recent years seen a tremendous growth, which was now under threat from among others the deadly Avian Influenza (AI).
He said this when he officially opened a workshop to train AI rapid response teams from Northern and Luapula provinces.
The government and the United States Aid for International Development (USAID) are funding the workshop, and other provinces covered under the programme are Central, Copperbelt, Lusaka and Southern.
"It is estimated that the poultry industry alone accounts for 1.54 to 2.24 per cent of Zambia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which translates to 40 per cent of the livestock sectors' contribution to the GDP," said Lumbama.
Poultry production in Zambia is estimated at around 30 million broilers per year; four million commercial layers for eggs and 14 million birds in the traditional sector.
"You can see the potential this industry has in terms of contributing to the national economy and as such we therefore need to protect and nurture it as it is under threat from AI," he said.
Lumbama said that the economic impact of AI was devastating as affected local, international trade, allied industries such as the animal feed industry, employment, food security, tourism and above all human life.
On behalf of the USAID, regional office pandemic influenza advisor Crunckleton Kimberly based in South Africa hailed the will the Zambian government had shown towards preparing for the any possible outbreak of AI.
"Just two months ago we successfully held in Chisamba a simulation exercise on AI which was very impressive and Zambia was more than ready to be on display in the SADC region," said Kimberly.
She said that there was need for collaboration among all stakeholders in preparing for any possible outbreak of AI.
Labels: DENNY LUMBAMA, PERMANENT SECRETARIES, POULTRY
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PAZ laments small-scale farmers’ failure to form cooperatives
Written by George Zulu in Monze
Saturday, March 28, 2009 8:33:38 PM
POULTRY Association of Zambia (PAZ) executive manager Mathews Ngosa has said the failure by small-scale poultry farmers to form and promote cooperatives was the greatest challenge the organisation was facing in protecting the industry from unfair treatment.
In an interview in Monze after the district Annual General Meeting, Ngosa said his organisation was not happy that small-scale poultry farmers had failed to form and promote cooperatives as a business entity in order to increase and pull production together to compete favourably on the local market.
Ngosa said the formation of poultry farmer groups would help to determine and dictate the market price of poultry products and reduce on the cost of managing the business unlike having the freestyle the industry was facing.
“I should say that as PAZ, we are very disappointed and not happy that farmers are reluctant to form cooperatives, I have to mention that cooperatives are important as they help out farmers in so many ways to increase production and receive extension services which are difficult to receive when you operate as an individual small-scale farmer. The formation of cooperatives enhances competition and increases production hence they will be able to dictate the market price of their produce and other bulk buying incentives,” he said.
And Ngosa has said his association was saddened by some millers who were quoting prices of feed in foreign currencies, saying the trend had an adverse effect on the Zambian economy.
He said major players in the poultry industry were small-scale farmers, hence quoting prices of feed in US dollar was an expensive move which would lead to the collapse of the industry which had recorded some steady growth in the recent past.
ìDollarisation is our serious concern in this industry; our poultry farmers have been affected, we have asked government to subsidise maize to millers as it would reduce the prices of feed and it will be a relief which will ensure farmers are kept in the business,” said Ngosa.
And Tiger Feeds technical advisor Justine Chibwe said unstable market trends had affected the operations of the company due to the economic difficulties the country was experiencing resulting from the current global credit crunch.
Chibwe however said his company had come up with a mitigation measure by introducing two cost-effective feeds on the market, the Stargro and Grofin, to enhance businesses of small-scale poultry farmers.
Labels: COOPERATIVES, PAZ, POULTRY
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COMMENT - Time for even commercial farmers to get off chemical fertilizer, and onto locally produced organic fertilizer.
Skinner bemoans cost of 2008-2009 farming season
Written by Justin Katilungu in Mkushi
Saturday, March 28, 2009 8:24:13 PM
MKUSHI Farming Bloc marketing committee officer Bruce Skinner has said the 2008-2009 farming season has seen the most dramatic increase in costs ever experienced by farmers in Zambian history.
In his presentation to President Rupiah Banda who visited the district on Wednesday, Skinner said there was need for the government to assist farmers ride through the turbulent times they were facing if they were to align themselves firmly once the economic upturn happened.
"At the time of planting, compound fertiliser prices shot from K3.3 million per tonne to K8.8 million. Diesel prices doubled from K4,860 per litre the previous year to K8,500 at the time of ploughing and planting the maize crop in the ground now," Skinner noted.
He said the prevailing circumstances had led to huge borrowing from the bank to purchase inputs for maize production which when coupled with the low wheat prices prevailing at the moment worked against farmers in their efforts to settle bank loans as well as borrow more.
"At the moment, commercial farmers are about to start combining and drying early maize at considerable costs to themselves; whilst we respect the need the need to cushion the effects of high prices on the consumer, it cannot be at the expense of production," he said.
Skinner noted that it would be difficult to market early maize whilst millers were buying highly subsidised maize.
"We know that yourselves (government) and the farmers union have held consultative talks on this issue but we stress the urgency in the handling of it.
"Mkushi alone will produce 30,000 tonnes of early maize in April/May and if we lose this market, the results are dire as prices drop quickly once the main crop is available to miller," Skinner warned.
Owing to high input costs for maize production, Skinner observed that there was a significant swing away from the commodity to Soya production in Zambia in the 2008-2009 farming season as it required less fertiliser.
He was saddened that the global economic recession had affected the purchasing power for consumers, especially under the mining sector.
“This has led to the reduction in the amount of poultry consumed and this in turn will no doubt have an adverse effect on the amount of Soya beans required for stock feed to the poultry and pig industry,” said Skinner. “We feel that it might be appropriate this year to allow significant exports of Soya cake to allow the surplus beans to be sold to our neighbours in the region.”
Labels: BRUCE SKINNER, COOPERATIVES, POULTRY
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High cost of feedstock a danger to small-scale producers
By Fridah Zinyama
Wednesday May 28, 2008 [04:00]
THE Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) has said many small-scale producers of poultry products might drop out of the sector due to the high cost of feedstock on the local market. And Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) vice-chairman Peter Cottan said the livestock sector will find it difficult to survive this year due to the high cost of production of feedstock.
In an interview, PAZ executive manager Mathew Ngosa said the high cost of feedstock had created uncertainty in the sector as the main components of feedstock, soya and maize, were currently very expensive.
"The high cost of feedstock is becoming a danger to the small scale producers and we have to find means and ways in which to prevent this before the small players are wiped out," he said.
Ngosa said soya beans prices had over the last few months increased from US$320 to US$710 per metric tonne, which was a very drastic increase.
"Even with prices this high, the millers are not making a large profit margin and they are sacrificing to keep the sector going," he said.
Ngosa said millers were shouldering more of the costs on behalf of the poultry farmers and that it would be hard for them to continue doing so.
"There has been a 100 per cent increase in the prices of raw materials used to make feedstock, meaning that their gross margins have been affected and they are barely breaking even," he said.
Ngosa noted that there would be a shortfall of about 30,000 to 40,000 metric tonnes of soya beans this year because not much had been grown.
"There is an indication already that there will be no relief for the livestock sector this year," he said. "This is going to translate into high prices for the end products like chickens, eggs, beef, pork and mutton."
Ngosa said to encourage farmers to grow more soya beans, the players on the market were prepared to pay the export price for the commodity to enable the farmers realise a profit from their produce.
"The millers are also considering importing soya beans but with the food crisis, it will be difficult to find the soya and when it is found, it might even cost more," he said.
And Cottan observed that this year would be very difficult for the livestock sector as production costs were likely to skyrocket.
He explained that currently, the soya beans produced by farmers was not enough to meet local demand.
This marketing season, the minister of agriculture, announced that soya beans production had increased by 2.98 per cent from 55,194 metric tonnes to 56, 839.
Cottan said the price of soya beans on the local market had already reached the import parity.
"Last year, we were buying a bag of soya beans at K30,000 but the same bag is costing K100,000 this year," he said.
Cottan said the millers were thinking of importing but that the prices were also likely to be very high.
However, Cottan expressed optimism that the high prices would encourage farmers to grow more soya beans to sustain the local demand and make considerable profit from their produce.
Labels: FEEDSTOCK, MAZ, PAZ, POULTRY
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PAZ signs MoU with Malawian body
By Fridah Zinyama
Monday May 26, 2008 [04:00]
THE Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a sister association in Malawi meant to help reduce smuggling of poultry products into the country. In an interview, PAZ executive manager Mathew Ngosa said the MoU between the poultry associations of Malawi and Zambia would facilitate the generation and dissemination of relevant information in poultry production and in trade.
“Before the signing of the MoU, there used to be rampant illegal trade between the two countries,” he said. “We realised that if this trend continued, our poultry sector would be at risk because of the threats that are associated with illegal trade and other livestock diseases from the other country.”
Ngosa said nipping illegal trade in the bud would help to allow formal trade between the two countries to flourish and for both governments to benefit in terms of revenue.
“The MoU will also allow for free exchange of information among partners and will help to increase integration in the region as the poultry sector is growing very rapidly,” he said. “From such interaction, we are confident that relevant information will be obtained for purposes of national planning.”
Ngosa said PAZ took this initiative to curb livestock diseases which could be imported from other countries.
“Zambia is quite advanced in terms of protecting its poultry sector and with more formal terms in place each country can put in place standards by which its trading partners could abide by,” he said.
“We have gone a long way in protecting our sector and this measure will help more Zambian products to get into a disease free market,” he said.
Last year, there had been a reduction in the number of poultry products being smuggled into Eastern Province, after stakeholders held awareness campaigns meant to disseminate information about the dangers of illegal trade.
Labels: MALAWI, MoU, PAZ, POULTRY
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PAZ calls for endto exports of strategic crops
By Fridah Zinyama
Tuesday May 13, 2008 [03:00]
THE Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) is appealing to government to help stop the export of strategic crops like maize and soya beans. In an interview, PAZ executive secretary Mathew Ngosa said that other than maize, the government should also consider stopping exports of other critical crops like soya beans.
“On the other hand, crops like soya beans which are equally important especially in making feedstock are allowed to be exported without regulation,” he said.
“The situation if left unchecked will severely affect production as feedstock will become expensive for most farmers. Soya bean has been scarce on the market and its price has more than trebled over the past few months.”
Ngosa said soya price would not stabilise until the new crop reached the market.
“However, there are indications that even the new crop will not help stabilise the high prices as production was affected by the floods,” he said.
He said measures should be put in place to ensure that local demand was met before any of the strategic crops like soya beans are exported.
Ngosa also said the load shedding that the country was experiencing had adversely affected production because most producers could not afford fuels.
“This has led to an increase in production costs which will end up being passed on to the consumers.”
Ngosa advised the general public to brace themselves for increased food prices in the light of all the problems that the sector was experiencing.
Labels: FOOD, MAIZE, PAZ, POULTRY, SOYA
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