Government has banned the export of maize and maize products with immediate effect. Agriculture Permanent Secretary Julius Shawa says the ban is aimed at stabilizing mealie meal prices across the country.
Government has established an Inter-agency Team to undertake a verification exercise to ascertain the actual quantities of maize that is held by the Food Reserve Agency, the Grain and Millers Associations of Zambia and some members of the Zambia National Farmers Union.
Mr. Shawa says the ban is for a period of a week but may be extended depending on the outcome of the verification exercise. Meanwhile Mr. Shawa said Government will soon issue a Statutory Instrument to ensure that the measures taken to safeguard national food security are backed by a legal instrument.