Zambian Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Felix Mutati, has called on European countries to remove agriculture subsidies for their farmers for African farming products to compete favourably on international market.
Addressing the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) council meeting attended by 52 district farmers' association in Lusaka recently, Mr Mutati said African agricultural products could compete favourably if European governments removed subsidies.
Mr Mutati said despite Europe giving out US$2 billion to 184 various African and Caribbean Pacific countries to improve capacity of farmers, their products could not compete with subsidised ones from Europe.
"But most of the countries in Europe are reluctant to open up their markets by removing the subsidies. They also have farmers who want them not to reduce these subsidies."
