In the first half of this year, Gaza province, in southern Mozambique, produced around 25,000 tons of rice in the entire area covered by the irrigation systems.a.

The figures were released on Wednesday (28) by Iválio Mahumane, spokesman for the Directorate of Productivity and Trade in Gaza province, at FACIM, who stressed that, compared to last year, production was slightly down, "because there were marketing problems and many farmers didn't bet on this crop for fear of not getting a market".

The majority of rice in Gaza province is produced in the Lower Limpopo and Chókwè irrigated areas in Gaza.

Official figures show that in the 2022/2023 agricultural season, an agreement between producers, processors and the company Regadio do Baixo Limpopo established a price of 17.5 meticais per kilogram for rice in both Xai-Xai and Chókwè.

Another investor, the Chinese company Wambao, is also interested in buying rice from Chókwè at the same price. These Asian companies will be competing with Calisto Seabra, a local producer, who has pledged to pay 22.00 meticais per kilogram.

Mozambique spends 350 million dollars a year importing around 500,000 tons of rice.

(Photo DR)