Malawi starts rationing maize as stocks fall

Malawi has started rationing the sale of maize across the country following a report in parliament that the country's maize stocks are dwindling, authorities said on Tuesday.

The southern African nation harvested 3.1 million tonnes of maize in the last planting season -- its biggest in 10 years. The government exported 400,000 tonnes to hunger stricken Zimbabwe.

Dzoole Mwale, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, told Reuters in an interview that the rationing came after an assessment found that most government markets either had a shortage or were running out of the staple.

Government buys and sells maize through the Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc)

"We found serious maize shortages in Admarc markets in most parts of the country and this has created serious problems especially in the urban areas where people rely on buying maize from Admarc to feed their families," Mwale said.

"But we are happy that government has moved in quickly and started rationing the sales to make sure that everyone has a share," Mwale said.

Mwale said the committee would meet on Friday to discuss among other things, whether the maize shortage was linked to exports to neighbouring Zimbabwe.

People said Admarc was only allowing people to buy not more than 25 kg of maize a month.

"I have eight children and a 25 kg bag is not enough to feed my family for the whole month," said Esnart Phiri, among scores of people waiting for maize at Lilongwe's Area 25 Admarc market.

Admarc said the rationing was temporal and the country had enough stocks to last a year.

Most parts of Malawi usually start having maize shortages between December and March of each year when most households have exhausted their previous harvest and wait for the next.

U.N. agencies in the country estimate that a million or more people may need food aid as floods continue destroying crop fields in 14 districts. About 72,000 people have been left homeless and six killed by flooding.