By Paul Fauvet
Maputo (MOZTIMES) - Mozambican President Daniel Chapo on Saturday declared that the country hopes to market 14.6 million tonnes of agricultural produce during this year’s marketing campaign.
Chapo, cited by the daily paper "O Pais", was speaking in Ribaue district, in the northern province of Nampula, during the launch of the 2026 agricultural marketing campaign.
The target for the year is an overall production of 21.3 million tonnes of produce, which would be a 26 per cent increase on the previous year’s campaign. Chapo said that, of this amount, it is expected that 14.6 million tonnes will be marketed.
The main crops to be sold include maize, cassava, beans, rice, sesame and cashew nuts. The most productive provinces are expected to be Nampula and Niassa in the north, and Tete, Zambezia and Manica in the central region.
Chapo stressed the productive potential of Nampula, which he regarded as a strategic area for agricultural marketing.
He also called for increased agricultural processing in order to add value to the crops and stimulate rural industrialisation.
Chapo said the government intends to encourage the installation of small industrial units in the districts, for local transformation of agricultural materials, and to create jobs, particularly for women and for young people.
“We want to ensure that the maize grown by our people generates flour produced in Mozambique”, said Chapo. He added that cash crops such as cashew nuts, sesame and groundnuts should contribute to the emergence of new factories, and to stimulating local economies.
Chapo stressed that agriculture is one of the main bases for the economic independence of the country. He called for greater involvement by private businesses in the local purchases of crops, and in the logistics, storage and processing of Mozambican produce. (PF)
