Agriculture Minister Roza Mbilizi is facing scrutiny over a proposed single-source fertiliser contract for the 2026/27 Farm Input Subsidy Programme, according to Nyasa Times. Senior representatives from United Capital Fertilizer Zambia, including chief executive Huang Yaochi, recently travelled to Lilongwe to negotiate commercial terms for the supply deal. Procurement concerns and questions over political oversight emerged after reports indicated that Mbilizi's cousin, Hyde Khembo, who serves on the board of the Smallholder Farmers' Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi, visited Zambia in June to advance the arrangement.
In the food processing sector, the Malawi Bureau of Standards suspended four companies following hygiene and safety inspections, Nyasa Times reports. Dilydada Limited, Aimi Industries Limited, 88 Brothers, and Tianma Company Limited, which produce maize flour and cooking oil, were ordered to halt production due to poor sanitation and unsafe handling practices. The regulatory body imposed a K2 million non-compliance fine on each firm and issued quarantine fees for goods already manufactured.
Update: Plans for a local fertiliser manufacturing plant backed by Morocco are advancing, with the government setting a target to establish the facility by the 2027/28 farming season, according to Malawi Nation. The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that experts from Morocco's OCP Africa recently conducted joint workshops with Malawian officials to lay the groundwork for the project. The announcement came alongside the delivery of 500 tons of Moroccan fertiliser in Blantyre, which is part of a broader 1,000-ton pledge aimed at easing the country's reliance on costly agricultural imports.
Meanwhile, agricultural outlets are highlighting local efforts to combat dry spells. Milling and Feed recently covered a Diversity Seed Fair hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization in Chikwawa District. The initiative encourages farmers to cultivate traditional, drought-resilient crops like sorghum and cowpeas, which perform better during poor weather compared to maize.