Despite the country expecting a record cassava […]

Despite the country expecting a record cassava yield of 3.3 million metric tons in the 2025/2026 agricultural season, Zambia Breweries has indicated that the price of cassava-based beer will remain unchanged.

According to official government data, national cassava production is expected to reach approximately 3.3 million metric tons, with estimated cassava flour production projected at 824,957 metric tons. Luapula Province is projected to remain Zambia’s largest cassava-producing region with an estimated 1.2 million metric tons of output, followed by Northern Province at 995,884 metric tons and Western Province at 447,728 metric tons.

Speaking in an interview with Zambian Business Times, Zambian Breweries Plc Director of Corporate Affairs Chipego Zulu said the company is not considering any further price reductions at this stage despite improving macroeconomic and weather conditions. The improved production outlook had raised expectations among consumers that prices for cassava-based beer products could decline, given cassava’s growing role as a major raw material in beer production.

 However, Zambian Breweries Plc says pricing decisions are influenced by broader economic and operational pressures beyond raw material supply. “There are no plans to reduce the price of cassava beer at this time. While macroeconomic and weather conditions have shown some improvements, pricing remains driven by a broad set of factors, including our cost of production, taxation, and supply chain pressures,” Zulu said.

She noted that the company had already implemented affordability measures earlier this year when it reduced prices for cassava-based beer products in February 2026. “It is also very important to note that the price of cassava-based beer was already reduced in February 2026 as part of our efforts to maintain affordability,” she said.

 Zulu said while agricultural production remains an important factor for the company’s local sourcing strategy, long-term business sustainability remains equally important when making pricing decisions. “We remain focused on balancing affordability with the sustainability of our operations and continued support to local farmers,” she added.

Cassava continues to gain commercial significance within Zambia’s industrial value chain, with increasing demand coming from beverage manufacturers, food processors, and agricultural markets seeking to strengthen local sourcing

Article by Francine Chibuye