Mozambique Chamber of Commerce urges stronger local production, surplus absorption amid new rice import rules

The Mozambique Chamber of Commerce (CCM) on Wednesday (25) called for stronger national production and the absorption of domestic surplus, within the framework of the new rice import rules recently approved by the Government. The position was expressed by the president of the CCM, Lucas Chachine, who warned of the need for coordination among sector stakeholders. “Local production, with quality and high levels of productivity, requires joint effort and coordination among different stakeholders, otherwise market costs may increase,” he said.

According to Lucas Chachine, it is essential to ensure the purchase of products available on the domestic market. The aim, he explained, is to guarantee the absorption of existing surplus while also encouraging national producers. These concerns were raised during a meeting between the Mozambique Chamber of Commerce and the Mozambique Grain Institute (ICM), held to clarify the new measures relating to cereal imports in the country.

Under the legal framework, the ICM has been managing rice imports since 1 February and will also take over wheat imports from 1 May, as part of the new rules defined by the Government. The director of the Mozambique Grain Institute, Luís Fazenda, explained that the measures aim to improve market functioning. “The new rules seek to combat under-invoicing, improve the import process and, at the same time, boost national production,” he said, adding that the process will involve the Bank of Mozambique and commercial banks.

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Even so, the Mozambique Chamber of Commerce expressed concerns about the implementation of the measures, questioning the absence of detailed regulations, price-setting criteria, import costs and the definition of quotas. In response, the Mozambique Grain Institute indicated that the regulation is in the approval phase and that strengthening domestic production should gradually lead to a reduction in imports, in a process already underway for rice since February and for wheat from May.

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