Zambia signs 540,000-mt maize export deal with Kenya
The new maize agreement is expected to support further growth in agricultural export revenues while increasing foreign exchange inflows.
KENYA – Zambia has signed an agreement to export 540,000 metric tonnes of White Grade A non-GMO maize to Kenya, strengthening regional grain trade and creating a major market for the country’s bumper maize harvest.
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) signed the export contract with Kenya-based Baita Trading Limited on September 9, 2026, as Zambia seeks to convert increased agricultural production into export earnings and foreign exchange.
The agreement follows Zambia’s maize production of more than 5.1 million metric tonnes during the 2025/2026 farming season, leaving substantial stocks available for domestic consumption and export.
According to the Zambian authorities, the country’s agricultural exports increased from US$967 million in 2024 to more than US$1.1 billion in 2025.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Siazongo Siakalenge, urged the business community and traders to seize the opportunities created by the country’s surplus maize production by identifying export markets and contributing to growth under the Grow Zambia Agenda.
He said the unprecedented rise in maize output has left the country with ample stocks, keeping mealie meal prices stable domestically while freeing up surplus volumes for export.
Siakalenge said the government has secured several export opportunities through engagements with countries across the region, and that the Kenya deal is expected to boost agricultural export earnings further this year.
He added that the resulting foreign exchange inflows would help support stability of the Kwacha.
The 540,000-tonne contract will be executed in six batches, with 100,000 metric tonnes shipped every three months and a final batch of 40,000 metric tonnes closing out the agreement.
FRA Board Chairperson Suresh Desai said the arrangement reflects growing confidence in the quality of Zambia’s produce and that the agency would execute its obligations transparently.
Baita Trading Director Martin Kinoti said the company is a private-sector buyer rather than a representative of the Kenyan government, and that its focus now turns to implementing the agreement, which he described as a step toward meeting Kenya’s food requirements while strengthening agricultural trade ties between the two countries.
Kenya has cited a national requirement of roughly 25 million 90-kilogramme bags of maize, equivalent to about 2.2 million metric tonnes, following an expected below-normal harvest.
Under the Grow Zambia Agenda, the government is targeting annual maize production of 10 million metric tonnes to supply both local and international markets; the country produced 5.1 million metric tonnes in the last farming season.
President Hakainde Hichilema has set his sights on tripling Zambia’s economy during his second term.
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