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Agriculture
expand the local production and processing of this
lucrative product. There are also opportunities to
increase the production of cashew nuts, which are
grown in Western Province.
Commercial farmers in Central, Lusaka, Copperbelt
and Southern provinces produce around 60 percent
of the country’s soybeans. Oil from processed soy-
beans and sunflower seeds is in demand both in the
local market and elsewhere. The main production
area for mixed beans is Zambia’s Northern Province.
Cotton
Since the initiation of major agricultural reforms and
privatization of the industry in the early 1990s, cotton
production and processing has grown rapidly. Some
80 percent of Zambia’s cotton is produced in Eastern
Province, with Central and Southern provinces ac-
counting for 11 percent and 8 percent respectively.
As cotton is largely a small-scale farming crop, its
potential role in poverty alleviation and food security
is huge. Cotton now ranks as one of the most impor-
tant sources of income among small-scale farmers
and agribusiness firms.
Tobacco
Zambia produces and processes both Burley and
Virginia tobacco. The Central and Eastern prov-
inces are the most favorable for the crop. Some 83
percent of Burley tobacco is grown in the Eastern
Province. Zambian tobacco is known for its high
quality and flavor, and due to increased demand, it
has witnessed substantial increases in production.
This is being fuelled to some extent by a reduction of
tobacco cultivation in Zimbabwe. Zambian tobacco,
similar to that grown in Zimbabwe, is easily able to
fill the gap left by a decimated Zimbabwean tobacco
production industry.
Out-grower schemes have increased commercial
production, and there has developed room for small,
medium and large-scale production. According to
the International Tobacco Growers’ Association, to-
bacco production in Zambia is currently 7.5 times
more profitable per hectare than maize production
and 14 times more profitable than cotton.
Sug
arcane
Sugar is one of Zambia’s most valuable export com-
modities, and it is processed for the domestic market
as well as for regional and international markets.
Coffee
Coffee is grown in the Zambian highlands. The main
markets are Japan, the United Kingdom, South Af-
rica, USA, Dubai, and Germany. While the country is
a relatively small coffee producer, demand has been
increasing due to the high quality of Arabica coffee
produced in Zambia, and increases in production
are set to move forward with the entry into niche cof-
fee markets elsewhere in Europe.
Credit: The Inzy Company
