Mozambique: Zambezia has 14,000 tons of cereal reserves, enough for four months

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Mozambique: Zambezia has 14,000 tons of cereal reserves, enough for four months

2:35 CAT | 26 Nov 2024

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Notícias]

Zambézia province has estimated cereal reserve of over 14,000 tons, capable of supplying the province with grain for the next four months.

The latest survey, carried out in September by the Mozambique Cereal Institute (ICM ), indicates the availability of corn, rice, beans and cash crops such as sesame.

Zambézia delegate of the Mozambique Cereal Institute Rosa Mandara told Notícias that there is also over 1,000 tons of various products awaiting processing, to be sold on the national market thereafter.

The survey was carried out in the largest cereal-producing districts in Zambézia province, namely Mocuba, Alto Molócuè, Morrumbala, Mopeia, Guruè, Molumbo, Milange and Lugela.

According to Rosa Mandara, producers say that they had surpluses available to sell in the coming months, as they were expecting better prices, since those at the beginning of the marketing campaign did not satisfy the farmers’ expectations.

Meanwhile, Mandara said that in parallel with the monitoring of cereal availability, awareness campaigns are being carried out among producers not to withhold all of their production in the hope of better prices later on.
Currently, one kilogram of corn varies between 28 and 30 meticais, while 25 kilograms of processed corn flour costs 500 meticais on the local market.

Mandara said that food security in the province was guaranteed, even in districts where there was no significant cereal production, since this year a lot of tubers were produced, especially cassava and sweet potatoes, crops that are currently in the harvest phase.

According to the Mandara, cassava acted as an alternative staple for producer families in districts where the production of cereals such as corn was affected by ‘El Nino’.

In the current agricultural season, Zambézia province planned to sell more than 3.595 million tons of various products.

Figures indicate that, up to the third quarter, more than 3.119 million tons of various products were sold, which corresponds to 87% of target and a year-on-year increase of 0.9%.

Source: Notícias