Zambia ‘ s coffee production in the 2013/14 farming season is expected to drop to 200 metric tonnes from 450 metric tonnes previously due to deforestation coupled with inadequate access to finance.
Zambia Coffee Growers Association general manager Joseph Taguma has since urged Government to put in place polices that will encourage the cultivation and preservation of tree crops agriculture, especially coffee.
Mr Taguma said in an interview in Lusaka on Friday that there is need for Government to put in place measures that will help boost the coffee industry in Zambia.
He said if unchecked deforestation will disturb the rain pattern thereby adversely affecting coffee production.
“Government has to come up with a policy on tree crop agriculture and begin to support the sector. In my view, I think [the policy] is long overdue, with the deforestation currently going on in Zambia, there is need to put in place measures that will promote and serve the coffee industry,” he said.
Mr Taguma said although there has been improved coffee consumption among the locals, deforestation and inadequate financing to the sector has resulted in a drop in coffee production.
He said commercial banks in the country have not been able to offer long or short-term financing to the agriculture sector, especially for tree crops like coffee which take a long time to mature.
“The main reason why coffee production has reduced in Zambia is because it is difficult get long or short-term financing for the growers to enable them run their operations efficiently,” he said.
He said there is need to encourage farmers to venture into tree crops as they are considered as higher-value crop with a longer-term sustainability.
Currently, coffee is grown in Lusaka, Northern and Southern Provinces.
