Maize export ban still affecting farmers

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Malawi hunger food crisis

Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) has said farmers are failing to invest in agriculture during the current farming season due to low maize prices last year.

According to FUM, the ban on the exportation of maize forced farmers to only sell their maize in the local agriculture market thus leading to low prices of maize.

Alfred Kapichira Banda
Kapichira Banda: Last year has been the toughest year.

FUM president Alfred Kapichila Banda disclosed that farmers are failing to invest through buying farm inputs for their gardens because they did not make enough money from last year’s produce.

“In actual sense last year has been the toughest year to us because we had plenty of maize from our gardens and government did not bother about us, concerning market,” said Banda.

He further urged government to consider farmers when making decisions of agricultural markets in the country.

In 2017, President Peter Mutharika banned exportation of maize to neighbouring countries as a way of ensuring that Malawi had enough in stock.

However, the ban was criticized as farmers had no competitive markets locally where the staple grain could demand better price.

When the ban was lifted in October, farmers complained that it was too late.

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24 Comments

  1. This you should know that the maize which was produced last year was sufficiant to feed Malawi as a nation. Had it been that the ban was not imposed we could have been buying it at @ around 9000/bag which is too exhaubtant to an ordinary Malawian.But I suggest that this country should not depend on maize for export rather they should suggest other crops, to say the fact maize which is produced is on small scale, mostly by small farmer not for sale but as food crop.But if we want to produce for export it needs to engage big commercial farmers, of which we dont have,then we will be able to feed ourself and export as well.

  2. Chimanga chidule ngozi kwa anthu chitchipe ngozi kwa alimi ndiye tikufuna chani tsapano kapena titsamile mbali iyi yabwino ndiuzeni abale ndapota nanu ine ndikusowa kolowera

  3. If the backbone is broken know for sure that malawi can not stand up.If fertilizer was cheap then its fine but if fertilizer price was high why maize price be at low price?.Tobacco was acash crop but because of the price went down and start reduce Quarters,.We depend on farming in Malawi.

    1. Kuti chitukuko chiyende pamafunika anthu adye kuti anthu adye pamafunika chakudya chitchipe ndiye chimanga ndi staple food sichiyenera ku dura

    2. “ulimi ndi business”;be a subsistence farmer has wants and needs.Some farmers are growing maize for commercial purposes,its not the price which can opt a grower to forget what to eat.At bottom line,how can a farmer find food if no fertilizer is applied?

    1. ndiye aliyese azilima chimanga chake, nanga vuto simuziwa. alimi tikalima munda ochoka matumba 21 timaenera kuthira fetreza 2bags =k41 500
      kulimisa:
      kugalauza k13 500
      kupalira k13 900
      kubandira k13 900
      yothilisa fetrizer k8 000
      mbeu k10 000
      total: k1000800
      pamene tikagulisa matumba 21pa ntengo wak3 500/bg= k73 500 pamenepa angaluze ndi ndani? nanga mchaka chino tingapange bwanji?
      mukamati chimanga sicha bizinesi limenero ndi bodza komanso mukuauza alimi kuti asamalime chimanga azilima chawo chokha nanga antawuni azidza chiyani bread ndi mabiscet? nanga ndi ndani amene angaloleke kumadyesa makhumucha iye opanda kanthu ine chaka chino ndalima malo ochepa chifukwa ndilibe ndalama ndiye mukonzeke kudya chinagula DR GEOGE CHAPONDA chija. bola ine changa chikwane

    2. Boma lipeze njira yokugilirani mbewu zanuzo koma liwonesese kuti chimanga chisakwere mpaka 120per kg ife timalandira ndala zochepa moti chaka chino taseva kumbali ya chakudya komaso kulibe njala chifukwa tikukwanisa kugula chakudya

  4. Mwima Sindidziwa Kod Alimife Amationa Chan Thawi Zonse Kulira Pomwe Katundu Wamagrossaries Akudulabe Ife Timadalira Mbewu Kt Tipeze Ndalama Koma Zatchipabe Mtengo Nde Titani Tsono 2019 Ukuchedwa

  5. Mwatilangadi ife alimi mwationetsa buluzi wang’ala,inu mukumwa tea wakhathikhathi,whiskey ndiosayamba.bolani mukatichotsera chiletso chija poyamba bwezi pano titapha makwacha akhanikhani,poyenda tikutumbwa,manja ali mthumba,nanga yogulira mbeu ndi feteleza tiyitenga kuti.watilangadi iwe posaganizira ife a kwalimba uta.utatipindira ndevu mkamwa.wako mpola watinikha.koma chimene udzangiwe maso akaona mtima suyiwala.lero waiwala kuti ukumva kunzuna kamba kaife alimi akumidzife,potiphatjika nalo mmaso phula.koma tsiku likubwera udzatifuna

    1. ukakhala entrepreneur sumapanga business yokuti singakupase profit…. in business plan umayenera kulingalilanso ma government policies before you venture into any business….. ndipo anthu amene ali ndi chimanga chambiliwo trust me this year alimanso chimanga chifukwa anazolowera kulima chimanga basi mmalo moti they should try other crop imene ingawapase dollar…

    2. A Capabilis muti chan inu… Entrepreneurship mukuiziwa inu? Farming is a business nay entrepreneurship… Komanso policy ya bomayo inu simuiziwa .. Be quiet

  6. farmers not happy with maize pri?ces.the general public happy with the availability and low prices of maize.the donors who provided fertilizer and seed subsidy funds happy that the intended purpose of eradication of hunger been achieved. ggovernment happy that food is available for Malawians .burundians and swahiliz angry that the boarders are closed for them to mop our maize to kenya and Tanzania. Mcp not happy with the ban for political reasons.this means the ban should be continued.why should we provide farmers with subsidy fertilizer and the harvest end up feeding Swahili people in tz and kenya

    1. Are you sure all the maize being produced in this country is the subsidised fertiliser? Had it been that such was the case then why do we have shops selling unsubsidised fertilisers? Currently maize in mchinji is selling at K50 per Kg, and a bag of fertiliser at K20,000, so a farmer has to sell 8 bags (50kg net) in order buy 1 bag of fertiliser. The cost of production is much higher than gains. Do not politicise everything but rather work on facts.

    2. @vic.farmers very angry on the cheap prices.very true.but the general public happy with the cheap prices. when you venture into agri business you must forecast price uncertainty and supply. when supply is high prices go down.when there is hunger in s certain year expect restrictions the next harvest which will affect prices the next harvest. again always consider that maize is not a cash crop and there is no aunction floors for maize and when admarc delays buying and boarders closed then prices go down otherwise sorry most malawians 98% are happy with the availability and low prices.diversify to other cash crop which will give better prices otherwise maize is a strategic produce.pepani pepani achimwene

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