Zambeef Products Plc is expected to harvest tonnes of maize at its farm in Sinazongwe District in Southern Province next month.
Corporate affairs manager and head of retail, Felix Lupindula said that the company’s 598 hectares of winter maize would be ready for harvesting in October and that the project was part of the company’s efforts to help alleviate drought perpetuated hunger in the region.
“We have winter maize on Zambeef’s Sinazongwe Farm from which we expect close to 6, 000 tonnes of maize by October this year. The other irrigated winter crop on our Mpongwe, Chiawa and Chisamba Huntley Farms is about 7,000 hectares of wheat,” Felix said.
Felix further added that Zambia should remove the word “drought” from its vocabulary and invest heavily in irrigation like Egypt and Sudan have done.
“The Zambezi Valley has good opportunities for dual cropping for cereals and other grain because of its maximum and minimum temperatures, with abundant water,” Lupindula said.
Zambeef would add value by producing mealie meal from the winter maize and being Zambia’s staple food, it will supply it to the local people on the shores of Lake Kariba as well as Sinazeze, Muzoka, Batoka, Maamba and Choma areas.
The other crops that would grow in Sinazongwe area are Irish potatoes and kidney beans.
The valley has good climatic conditions which provide a good environment for growing cereals and legumes throughout the year.
