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From Chifundo Malidadi in LILONGWE

MALAWI will export several tonnes of maize to Zimbabwe, part of its 80 000 tonne surplus of the grain. Some of that will be exported to Kenya, ravaged by a drought this year. Agriculture ministry officials did not give the breakdown of the expected exports.

The move is likely going to trigger a fresh wave of protests among Malawians who feel the embattled leader Robert Mugabe should not benefit from the tiny southern African country’s sound economic policies.

Zimbabwe, once Africa’s breadbasket, has become a basket case, thanks to a decline in agricultural activity blamed on Mugabe’s land grab policy. Since 2000, Mugabe has led a violent seizure of white-owned farms, parcelling them out to blacks most of whom have no capital and had no previous farming experience.

As a result, once productive farms are lying derelict and agricultural equipment vandalised. Zimbabwe’s maize imports from Malawi will just be a drop in the ocean as the troubled southern African country realised only 400 000 tonnes of maize this year, according to figures from the Commercial Farmers’ Union. The country consumes at least 2,2 million tonnes of maize every year.

Farmer and Author Phil Matibe (pictured) added ” this is a sad situation which has been created by Mugabe’s ruinous and irresponsible policies which benefited his cronies at the expense of the nation.”

Last year, Malawi was one of the countries that exported maize to Zimbabwe, sparking murmurings among Malawians that there were not enough reserves of the grain in the country to warrant exports. Some felt Mugabe had to feel the pinch of his disastrous policies.

However, it will be a big boost to President Bingu wa Mutharika’s government coffers.  “Based on the agreed export price of US$340 per tonne, Malawi will earn about US$27 million from selling the 80 000 tonnes,” Grace Mhango, Grain Traders Association of Malawi’s chairwoman, has said.

Malawi achieved a maize surplus of 1,3 million tonnes this year, its fourth consecutive surplus since it introduced a fertiliser and seed subsidy programme in 2005. It harvested 3,7 million tonnes of the grain this year up from 3,2 million last season.