By Levison Lester

Lilongwe, April 5, MANA: Director of Research and Outreach, and a Lecturer at the Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Samson Katengeza has said the decision to ban exportation of raw soya beans will help the government to control and trace forex in the country.

Reacting to a statement released by Ministry of Trade and Industry in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Katengeza said the export ban of raw soya beans will help government to have fixed markets that will absorb all the products that farmers have produced.

 “Free exports of soya beans by anyone makes the government not to trace the forex coming to Malawi. So the export ban will help the government to control and trace forex. My advice is that the government should make sure that all farmers who have licenses should be given a chance to export the product,” He said.

Katengeza further added that the ban will help producers to benefit from the market price that the government has recently released saying government will be able to control the price of soya beans due to export ban.

 Paul Chiwaya a farmer from Dowa said a decision to halt the exportation of soya beans in Malawi will benefit local farmers to have high income saying the export ban will ensure a steady demand of soya beans in the country.

Chiwaya added that the government should come up with strategies that will foster long term sustainability and competitiveness of the soya beans at the market for the farmers to benefit.

“While prioritizing domestic supply can enhance food security and support local industries, it’s also crucial for the government to implement measures that will foster long terms results. The government should consider implementing policies to support farmers in maximizing their returns.

“Additionally, it is important for the government to monitor the market closely to ensure that the increased availability of soya beans does not lead to oversupply or price fluctuations in other sectors,” Chiwaya said.

While confirming the export ban, Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Patrick Botha said the exportation ban is a result of estimated production decline of raw soya beans in the country.

“the National Crop estimate exercise that was carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture suggest that there is a decline in soya beans production. Malawi as a country, we are now promoting value addition and diversification, so the exportation ban of raw soya beans will help industries which use raw soya beans to grow,” He said.