Preserve the country’s strategic reserves – govt called upon

Government has been called upon to take measures of preserving the country’s strategic reserves in view of this year’s rainfall pattern.

Former Finance Minister Katele Kalumba is concerned that following last farming bumper harvest there could a strong temptation to sell from the country’s strategic maize stock reserves.

Katele Kalumba

Dr. Kalumba has told Qfm News by telephone that his hope and prayer therefore is that government will adopt an anticipatory approach for next year before thinking of exporting any of the maize from the country’s reserves.

He says he is of the view that government should ensure that there is enough strategic reserved to take the country to the end of this year and early part of next year.

Dr. Kalumba has disclosed that despite him not knowing what the crop forecast for this year of other regions will be, he has observed from the people he has spoken to in the Northern Province that this year’s rainfall pattern has created anxieties in the minds of many.

He says he has come across many troubled faces which he believes entails that the story is the same that of crop failure.