ZAMBIA has recorded a surplus for major food crops for 2008/9-season with an estimated maize production of more than 1.8 million tonnes, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Brian Chituwo has said.

Announcing the result of the 2008/9-crop forecast survey and the 2009/10 food balance status in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Chituwo said apart from maize, Zambia was expected to record increased production in wheat, cassava and rice.

He said at a Press briefing that the total maize production had been estimated to be 1,888,773 tonnes and additionally there was 62,035 tonnes of the commodity from the previous season bringing the total maize available to 1,950,808 tonnes.

That was 203,271 tonnes more than the 1,747,537 tonnes general national maize requirement.

"When total maize requirements are deducted from available maize, the food balance sheet indicates that the country has recorded a maize surplus of 203,271 tonnes.

"The total maize requirements take into account the Government strategic reserve stock of 110,000 tonnes for the Food Reserve Agency (FRA)," Dr Chituwo said.

The maize production has increased by 443,118 tonnes or by 31 per cent as compared to last year's 1,445,655 tonnes while the area planted has marginally increased from 1,125,024 tonnes last year to 1,125,849 tonnes.

Large-scale farmers have contributed 231,656 tonnes of the maize while the small and medium scale farmers will account for 1,657,117 tonnes or 88 per cent of the total national production.

For 10 successive years Zambia has recorded a surplus cassava production after producing 1,151,700 tonnes while rice production has been projected at 41,929 with a deficit of 12,000 tonnes.

Wheat production has been estimated at 195,000 from 185,000 recorded last year and will have a surplus of 50,000 tonnes.

Sunflower has recorded 118 per cent increase from 15, 405 - 33,657 tonnes, soya beans (59,000-11,799 tonnes), groundnuts (84,598-120,564 tonnes), mixed beans (50,488-46,735 tonnes) burley tobacco (15,000,000-16,000,000kg) and Virginia tobacco (15,400,000-12,000,000 kg).

The minister said the officers from the Central Statistics Office and experts from his ministry worked tirelessly to come up with the estimation.

Dr Chituwo commended farmers for the hard work despite having experienced high input costs during the season and called on the private sector to promote the industry by providing ready market.

He was, however, saddened that some households and communities would require support from the Government due to unfavourable weather conditions and other related factors.