LILONGWE, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The Malawian government has suspended exportation of raw soya bean effective on April 8 to safeguard the inadequate yield that the country has managed to harvest in the current season for local industries.

The restriction was announced in a joint statement released Thursday by trade and agriculture authorities, following an assessment of the soya bean production for the current agricultural production season.

According to the statement, the crop's production has dropped by 20 percent due to adverse weather conditions that the country has experienced during the year's farming season.

"The restriction aims to support local industries and investors in the soya value chain to access the soya beans as it is the main raw material in the production processes of by-products, which include cooking oil, and soya cake amongst others," reads the statement.

Under Malawi Control of Goods Act, the directive means that all licenses that the Ministry of Trade previously issued on exportation of raw soya bean will be rendered invalid from April 8.

Most parts of Malawi have been seriously hit by adverse weather conditions induced by El Nino climate patterns, leading to poor yields in the country's crops, especially the staple grain, maize.

Consequently, President Lazarus Chakwera recently, declared a state of disaster in 23 out of the country's 28 districts, and he appealed for humanitarian support from the international community. Enditem

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