In 2012, I ventured into maize farming at my ‘Chimpinga Farm’ in Chipata. It was a huge project and I later discovered that maize is not that profitable. It is labour intensive and require a lot of inputs such as pricy fertilizers and weed killer.
After my “successful” harvest that season, I was shocked with the
price that was on offer for the purchase of maize from both the private sector
and the Food
Reserve Agency (FRA). The margins were very tiny! Not making business
sense at all!
A friend visited my farm when we were preparing land for maize
cultivation. He is an experienced and successful rancher.
“Why waste land like this Baba Jere?” he asked.
“There is no money mu Vi Nchebele Baba…” he said, alluding to the
fact that maize farming is not profitable unless the maize is meant for making
feed for animals.
He suggested that I fence my farm and consider bringing in game or
cattle which require less labour compared to maize farming.
I am still thinking about that proposal.
You see, farmers are up in arms with the recent announced price of
maize of K160 per 50 Kilogram bag. They have complained that it is not
profitable! As for the small-scale farmers, they even use subsidized fertilizer
from the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP) but yet they cannot make profits.
Maize production is heavily subsidized in Zambia by government. Without the
subsidies, few farmers would survive beyond one season.
It is time we encourage our farmers to diversify into more
profitable crops such as Tobacco, Wheat and Cotton.
But what will Zambians eat?
That is the question that is always asked in justifying the growing
of maize. But Nshima shouldn’t be our only food given the good soils which
Zambia has in all the provinces.
Anyway, I abandoned the growing of Vi Nchebele…Maybe I try Vi Nyama
or Vi Ngombe will be better for business.
Farming is a
business and not a hobby!
- Dickson Jere
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