HONE SAME, Sinazongwe
PRESIDENT Lungu has directed ministers of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Finance and Agriculture to work closely to explore ways of setting up textile mills to create jobs and earn the country foreign exchange.
Mr Lungu says the establishment of textile mills is critical to the creation of more employment opportunities for youth and acceleration of national economic development.
He said the three ministries should ensure the retrogressive trend of exporting cotton in its raw form is halted once textile mills are established so that the country should manufacture a variety of cotton products.
President Lungu was speaking in Sinazongwe yesterday during the North- West Kooperatives (NWK) national cotton field day at Nzenga Farm.
Mr Lungu said his desire is to see the agriculture sector making a significant contribution to the countryΆs gross domestic product (GDP) in line with the Patriotic Front governmentΆs economic diversification programme.
“Cotton is one of the countryΆs main foreign exchange earners, hence production of this crop must be supported. I am aware that nearly all of the cotton lint produced in the country is exported. This must not be allowed,” he said.
He implored cotton ginners to give farmers a fair price for their crop and commended NWK Agric-Services for offering farmers a higher price at K3.70 per kilogramme this season compared to last seasonΆs K3.20.
He said Government is encouraging growing of other crops such as cotton, rice and sorghum to promote agricultural diversification.
“Sinazongwe and the entire valley area is ideal for growing cotton and other crops such as sorghum, millet, groundnuts, fruits and vegetables.
“It is our desire that the region continues to produce cotton to feed the Gwembe Ginnery to create more employment opportunities especially for our youth,” President Lungu said.
Mr Lungu also said Zambia needs a consortium of investors to invest in the agriculture sector to boost crop production at both household and national levels.
He said the agriculture sector has immense potential to spur wealth creation and economic growth with participation of the private sector.
“Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, has prioritised agricultural diversification, Farmer Input Support Programme, irrigation development support programmes, agriculture machination and research and development,” he said.
President Lungu said there is also need to maximise the usage of water for irrigation purposes.
On maize export ban, the President said Government will allow monitored export of the countryΆs staple food this season to ensure that the country is not depleted of the commodity.
He said the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will also actively participate in the market and ensure that it maintains national strategic reserves.
President Lungu said challenges farmers faced with the electronic voucher system will not recur as Government has acted on those problems.
And Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya said Government is committed to addressing all the challenges facing farmers and ensuring that the country produces enough agro-products for export in view of the booming demand for such products.
NWK Agric-Services chief agriculture services officer Kelvin Hambwezya said GovernmentΆs economic diversification programme through agriculture has encouraged his organisation to scale up cotton production and diversify its business portfolio to offer markets for other commodities.
“This is a step aimed at complimenting GovernmentΆs efforts in trying to improve market access for small holder farmers. What is needed is the continued efforts by Government to provide an enabling environment for private sector participation through an inclusive agriculture policy,” he said.
Finnish ambassador to Zambia Timo Olkkonen said his government will support the agriculture sector in Zambia and will work closely with co-operating partners like African Development Bank.
Speaking at the same function, Chief Sinazongwe called on Government to mechanise the agriculture sector to increase production.
