Zambia spends K765 million annually to import garlic from China

Cross Border Network Africa, an association promoting and facilitating small and medium enterprises (SME’s) in Africa says Zambia spends K765 million annually to import garlic from China, for an import cover of 8 months.

Association chairman general Benard Sikunyongana has since called on Zambian farmers to venture into garlic farming in order to retain this huge sum of money in the local economy especially in the agriculture sector.

Mr. Sikunyongana has further called on the ministry of agriculture and all strategic stakeholders in the agriculture sector to develop and adopt an out-grower scheme to encourage, promote and equip farmers with the right knowledge to produce enough garlic to meet the local market demand. 

He says garlic is a high value crop and has high demand on the local market, adding that farmers who would diversify to garlic farming would not struggle with the market because of the high demand for the product on the local market.

Mr. Sikunyongana says in the same way governments has shown willingness to ban the importation of onions, if farmers produce enough garlic to meet the local demand, government can also bring to a halt the importation of garlic so as to support local farmers.