Malawi agricultural fair opens, sector to boost economic growth by 33.6%
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Malawi President, Bingu wa MutharikaPosted by: mosephiriThe success of agribusiness depends on being competitive
The 6th Malawi National Agriculture Fair opened on Thursday, August 20, 2009, with the chamber of commerce predicting the sector to bolster Malawi’s economy this year by 33.6 percent.
Malawi’s economy is heavily driven by rain fed agriculture and for the past five years, the country has seen its agriculture production rising particularly due to government commitment to spend about 5 percent of the national budget on agriculture and good rains.
So far Malawi has been food sufficient and recently won Africa Business Award in Agriculture in London for its efforts in the sector.
The Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce (MCCCI) is upbeat that this year the sector will also produce high quality produce and move four percent up from 32.9 percent economic growth contribution recorded last year, MCCCI President Harrison Kalua said during the official opening of the Fair at Chichiri Trade Fair grounds in Malawi’s commercial capital, Blantyre.
He further noted the 2008 World Development Report estimates that Growth Domestic Product (GDP) originating from agriculture is at least twice as effective in reducing poverty as GDP growth originating from outside agriculture.
“GDP growth from agriculture impacts upon the majority of the mostly poor section of the population and the sector supports 82 percent of the rural population in the country,” he said.
Kalua also said that the size of surplus to feed into industrial activities is important to enable producers be effective in trading.
However, he bemoaned that setting of minimum produce prices by government is threatening the sector, hence resulting in low productivity levels.
“We propose that policies must avoid excessive taxing of agricultural produce in favour of the urban sector if we have to improve productivity,” said Kalua.
According to Kalua, the national fair intends to contribute to productivity in the sector as players will be encouraged to appreciate each others inputs.
Addressing the gathering, President Bingu wa Mutharika, who is also Minister of Agriculture, said rising global food prices are an opportunity for Malawian farmers to significantly increase agricultural production.
“If our farmers could take advantage of the situation, it would help our government to successfully realise its dreams of increasing our export earnings.
“The success of agribusiness depends on being competitive and to achieve that we must be efficient in agricultural operations especially in value addition, high quality and introduction of new brands of our agricultural products through extensive research and development,” he said.
The fair has attracted different stakeholders in the agriculture sector which include producers, input and service providers, manufacturers and consumers and is expected to end Friday, 28 August 2009.
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