Africa-Press – Malawi. The first-round crop estimates have projected that maize production in the current 2023/2024 growing season will 3,608,862 metric tons, representing a 2.8 percent increase as compared to the 2022/23 final round estimate of 3,509,837 metric tons.
This is according to the 2023/24 First Round National Agricultural Production Estimates released today by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The estimates underline that increases in maize production is attributed to the increase in hectarage by 3 percent due to good maize prices in the previous marketing season.
However, the estimates further indicated that compared to a five-year average production, the projection indicates a decrease of 5.0 percent.
“All the ADDs’, except Machinga, projected increases in maize production this season as compared to 2022/23 season. Shire-Valley projected the highest increase in maize production, 16.9 percent, while Mzuzu projected a slight increase of 2.1 percent,” reads the estimates.
The estimates also notes production growth of other cereals such as rice at 33.8 percent, sorghum 6.3 percent and wheat 94.7 percent.
The results also indicate that the production of groundnuts, pigeon peas, beans, cowpeas, sesame, and sunflower will increase by 10.4 percent, 10.9 percent, 5.7 percent, 0.02 percent, 56.1 percent, and 20.2 percent, respectively, due to seed availability and market incentives.
However, the production of soya beans and cotton will drop by 7.2 percent and 23.0 percent due to market disincentives and higher prices for hybrid cotton seeds.
For the horticultural crops, potatoes increased by 5.1 percent, bananas increased by 6.1 percent, and there are expected increases in the production of mangoes, oranges, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, and avocado pears by 2.3 percent, 2.2 percent, 2.6 percent, 3.5 percent, 2.8 percent, and 0.5 percent.
There are expected decreases in cassava, sweet potatoes, and pineapple production by 6.6 percent, 1.5 percent, and 48.1 percent, respectively. Production of tangerines and lemons will decline by 4.5 percent and 10.1 percent.
Tobacco production is estimated at 144,625,369 kilograms (kgs), representing an increase of 20.5 percent compared to the previous marketing season.
Production of Burley, Flue Cured Virginia (FCV), Northern Division Dark Fired (NDDF), and Southern Division Fired (SDF) will be at 125,604,125Kgs, 16,594,604Kgs, 1,799,516Kgs and 627,124Kgs. The projected increase in tobacco production is attributed to increased sponsorship by tobacco-buying companies to the farmers due to better prices in the previous season.
Data collected for livestock indicates that all species have registered increases in population except quails and chickens, especially broilers and layers. The cattle population has increased from 2,187,583 to 2,256,094, a 3.1 percent increase from last season. Pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, and ducks have also increased by 6.7 percent, 6.3 percent, 4.6 percent, 5.4 percent, and 6.1 percent, respectively. However, the population of quails and chickens has dropped by 39.4 percent and 10.1 percent.
National fish production from both capture fisheries and aquaculture has increased from 198,164 to 210,385 metric tons, representing a 6.2 percent increase from last year.
Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale says he is excited with the estimates and he is looking forward to the second round of estimates to be done in March and will take into account the dry spell.
For More News And Analysis About Malawi Follow Africa-Press
