In mid-October, the Government revoked all maize export permits except for humanitarian purposes. The measure aims to ensure that the country has sufficient domestic supplies to meet national needs and to halt illegal exports. Maize shipping was already limited earlier in the year to companies that had been previously issued export permits (FPMA Food Policies), as national availabilities, prior to the harvest in May, were tighter following a drought-reduced crop in 2015. The new restrictions were imposed to safeguard national food security although Zambia is the only country, together with Namibia, which registered a year-on-year maize production gain in 2016.