Zambia 2017 economic growth expected at 4%

LUSAKA May 18 (Reuters) - Zambia's economy will grow by 4 percent this year from around 3.2 percent last year supported by better agricultural output, improved electricity generation and higher mining production, a senior government official said on Thursday.

In the annual national budget for this year, the government had targeted a real GDP growth of at least 3.4 percent.

"For 2017, what we are seeing is a recovery in terms of growth from 3.2 percent that we had last year, to about 4 percent. Next year growth will be 5.2 percent," Finance permanent secretary Mukuli Chikuba said during a meeting with business leaders.

Chikuba said the economy would grow by 6 percent in 2019.