By Frazer Potani, Lilongwe, Malawi

President Bingu wa Mutharika yesterday conducted a surprise crop inspection tour in some parts of central and southern Malawi.

“Agricultural experts say we will experience a drop in our harvests this year because among other things the dry spell due to ENino. As an economist and Minister of agriculture however, we will get less surplus than in the past two to three years and still harvest enough maize to feed ourselves,” said Mutharika.

He however said to him it was not a crop inspection but rather a trip to appreciate the crop in the field.

The inspection was suddenly announced on taxpayers financed but state controlled Malawi Television (TVM) interlude in the afternoon.

Malawi’s economy depends on Agriculture.

The crop inspection revived memories in Malawians of late first president Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda who during his over 30 year one party rule with his Malawi Congress Party every agricultural season conducted such tours to encourage local peasant farmers to work hard in the field.

Mutharika’s crop inspection comes hot on the heels after reports indicate that Malawi is to harvest 30 percent less of anticipated harvest during this year’s harvesting season which falls between late March and May.

Malawi’s crop assessment data from all Agriculture Development Divisions (ADDs) have showed that the production of the staple food, maize and other food crops such as rice and cassava, will drop by an average 30 percent compared to last year.

The anticipitated food crop yield drop is despite government spending K19.4 billion on the fertilizer and seed subsidy programme which has since its introduction drop in 2005 seen Malawi achieving food surpluses, transforming from a food beggar into a food basket of the region and beyond.

According data sourced by Malawi’s oldest weekend newspaper, Malawi News, in all the eight ADDs in Malawi, three in the southern and central region and two in the northern region reveal that production of maize and other food crops is expected to drop by 60 percent in Shire Valley ADD and 30 percent in Machinga and Karonga ADDs.

Production in Kasungu, 120 Km away from Lilongwe is projected to drop by 20 percent while unconfirmed data in Mzuzu and Blantyre ADDs indicate that crop yields will go down by an average of 25 percent.

On the other hand Salima and Lilongwe ADDs are expected to harvest 13 and 8 percent food yields respectively.

Principal Secretary number two for Agriculture and Food Security Ministry Erica Maganga confirmed in the press on the weekend that some parts of Malawi were badly hit by a continuous dry spell like Shire Valley ADD hence will register a major maize and other crops production drop.

However, Maganga said her office was still monitoring the food situation in the field hence actual data would be ready by April.

Deputy Minister for Agriculture Margaret Mauwa said government is to provide seed to farmers whose farm produce was scorched by dry spell for winter cropping.

In his official national address when he was opening the 42 nd session of Malawi’s Parliament, Mutharika said his government is aware that some parts of the country are at risk of hunger therefore his government will source food to prevent people from starvation.