Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has called on government to immediately remove the 10% export tax on maize.
ZNFU president Jervis Zimba says the removal of the 10% export tax will help avoid farmers being paid poor prices and will make Zambian maize competitive on the regional market.
Mr Zimba says there is need to be cognizant of the fact that other countries such as South Africa,Malawi and Zimbabwe are also expectant of a bumper harvest and will look to the region for their exports.
He states that maintaining the export tax will disadvantage the Zambian crop on the regional markets.
Mr Zimba says ZNFU also urges government to maintain consistent and predictable policies in agricultural marketing and trade issues in order to maintain the momentum achieved so far.
He notes the need for proactive measures that will enable Zambia to seize the market opportunity in the region.
The ZNFU president states that Zambian maize needs to be competitive to penetrate the regional markets, but not with the 10% export tax.
And Zimba says the ZNFU applauds government for lifting the ban on maize grain exports and restrictions of maize movement within the country.
He says this gesture has however, come at the hour when the country has lost control of some of the markets in the region