Zambia denies signing maize export deal with DRC

LUKA - The Zambian government on Friday denied reports that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for maize exports.

While acknowledging that the government has received inquiries about maize exports from the DRC and other neighboring countries, Acting Minister of Agriculture Peter Kapala said no formal agreement has been signed.

He revealed that negotiations are ongoing regarding the possibility of exporting maize or mealie meal not only to the DRC but also to other neighboring countries.

"It must be made clear that currently, the government's priority is to purchase maize from farmers in a bid to build up the country's national strategic food reserves and open up satellite depots in areas where the moisture content has reached the required 12.5 percent," he said in a statement.

Kapala said that the government may consider exporting maize in the form of mealie meal and other value-added products only after the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) meets the required tonnage for strategic reserves.

This clarification followed a statement made Thursday by the FRA, which claimed it had signed an agreement with the DRC to export one million metric tonnes of maize.

Zambia produced 3.65 million metric tonnes of maize during the 2024/2025 agricultural season, a recovery following the previous season's drought, which had reduced agricultural output.

The minister added that the country has a carryover stock of 384,999 metric tonnes, bringing the total available maize to over 4 million metric tonnes.

The national requirement for both human consumption and industrial use, including strategic reserves, currently stands at 3.54 million metric tonnes, leaving a surplus of approximately 501,621 metric tonnes.