AGRICULTURE Minister Given Lubinda accused opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema of issuing false statements to the international media that Zambia was going to run into an acute food deficit.
“Zambia currently has 594,000 metric tonnes of maize in the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) reserves and that is more than enough food for the next six months or more.” Mr Lubinda said.
He said President Lungu was misquoted by Mr Hichilema on the possible importation of maize as one of the alternatives and explained that at no time did President Lungu say importing maize was a must but that it was just one of the three alternatives if things went to the worst situation that is most unlikely to happen.
The minister said the Government was working round the clock to ensure that whoever was involved in such activities was exposed.