Wednesday, July 6, 2022
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Business Business News

FUM defers EDF due to export ban

by Johnny Kasalika
05/03/2013
in Business News
2 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

The Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) has deferred the use of the Export Development Fund (EDF) to the 2013/14 farming season because they could not get an export licence from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

FUM president Felix Jumbe, in an interview last week, said the union needed the export permit in October last year, which would have enabled their offtaker, Senwes, a diversified agribusiness firm, to give farmers contracts.

But because of the export bans, this was not possible.

“We prepared to engage people in 2012/13 [farming season] to produce soya, groundnuts, rice and commercial maize destined for export and we had an undertaker to off take and issue contracts to farmers associations,” said Jumbe.

He said they had over 500 commercial farmers and associations including 97 from Mzimba and Chitipa, but the challenge was to get an export licence from the ministry to guarantee that all production from this arrangement is allowed for export.

EDF aims to improve access to finance for non-traditional crops such as soya, groundnuts, beans, pigeon peas and rice, but has export potential.

The initiative will encourage farmers to grow non-traditional export crops and be financed through guarantees to their banks provided they have an export order or have identified off takers to provide an order to buy from farmers.

But Ministry of Industry and Trade spokesperson Wiskes Nkombezi has assured FUM that no export restrictions will be issued, particularly on such crops as soya, beans, rice and other non traditional export crops.

He, however, said with regards to maize, where there is proof that a farmer produced maize on a commercial basis, the ministry will have to balance the commercial interests of the farmers and the food security interests of the country.

“We should all accept that maize is a very strategic crop as far as food security is concerned and, as such, government through the Ministry of Industry and Trade will also look at food security needs of the country,” said Nkombezi.

He said the ministry will, at all times, engage players in export trade to ensure that decisions reached on any export restriction are based on broad consensus from both government, the private sector, producers (such as farmers) and other players.

Nkombezi also said the ministry is looking at streamlining the export licensing regime

to make it easier and shorter for people to get an export licence to promote exports.

Previous Post

Kwacha fall pushes TNM tariffs up

Next Post

FMB to buy stake in foreign banks

Related Posts

Trading in progress at Malawi Stock Exchange
Business News

Mixed fortunes for listed firms

July 6, 2022
Business News

Imports 92% more expensive—report

July 5, 2022
Business News

FDH Bank shareholders to share K7.3bn dividend

July 5, 2022
Next Post

FMB to buy stake in foreign banks

Opinions and Columns

Columns

Chakwera’s lost years

July 6, 2022
My Turn

Early years education counts

July 6, 2022
My Turn

Child neglect and street robbery

July 4, 2022
Editor's Note

MPs’ houses to cost taxpayers K60bn

July 3, 2022

Malawi-Music.com Top10

Trending Stories

  • Press Corporation sold PTC in March this year

    PTC outlines future prospects, shuts shops

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Chakwera u-turns on powers

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Dubai firm cries foul

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • APM, Ntaba risk Criminal charges

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Artists revel in presidential awards

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2022 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.