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Luthando Mapepa, recently in ESPUNGABERA, Mozambique
Different maize seed varieties, which are believed to have been smuggled out of the country, have flooded informal markets in Mozambique.

Seed varieties that include Seed Co’s SC513 (Zebra), SC727 (Nzou) SC403, SC401 and Pannar 53 are being sold by informal traders at exorbitant prices.

A 10kg packet that is priced at around $32 in Zimbabwe is being sold for $40, which is approximately the equivalent of 3 000 Mozambican meticais.

Some of the maize seed found on Mozambique’s informal market is said to be in short supply in Zimbabwe, with some parts of Chipinge and surrounding areas already experiencing shortages of the product.

Foreign currency

Some local retailers under understood to be selling the maize seed strictly in foreign currency.

A Mozambican trader, Mr Aria Muronde, who runs a tuckshop at Espungabera, some five kilometres from Mount Selinda border, said they were making brisk business from selling Zimbabwean maize seed varieties.

“The seed varieties from the other side are in demand here in Mozambique,” he said.

“Since the onset of rains, we have hiked prices because of high demand. We are only selling the seed in foreign currency because our suppliers from Zimbabwe only accept South African rand and United States dollars.”

Mr Muronde said they were failing to secure varieties such as Seed Co’s SC727, including some Pannar varieties.

Quizzed on how they got the seed, Mr Muronde said they were well connected with suppliers in Harare.

“We have people coming from Zimbabwe who bring it right to our doorsteps, and we have been in this business for many years,” he said.

Porous border

Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union Chipinge chairperson Mr James Gabaza said the porous Zimbabwe/Mozambique border was driving the illegal movement of the product.

“Some of those varieties are scarce here because they are easily smuggled into Mozambique, where there are in high demand,” he said.

“Although our farmers here received Presidential and Command Agriculture inputs recently, there are still more seed varieties in demand because the number of the beneficiaries continues to swell, owing to the success of Command Agriculture.

“Some farmers are complaining that the maize varieties they received are not suitable for their areas, though in Chipinge we have all the natural regions of Zimbabwe. The farmers have explored all avenues to secure suitable seed varieties for their different areas without success, as they sought to beat planting deadlines.”