(Corrects figures in headline and first paragraph to show deficit is expected to decrease to 8.7%, not increase to 8.8%)
BLANTYRE (Reuters) -Malawi’s government sees the budget deficit for the fiscal year that starts in April at 1.32 trillion kwacha ($1.30 billion), or 8.7% of GDP, down slightly from 8.8% in the fiscal year that ends this month, Finance Minister Sosten Gwengwe said on Thursday.
Economic growth is expected to reach 2.7% in 2023, up from a forecast of 2.6% given at a mid-term budget review in November, before rising to 3.4% in 2024, the minister said, adding increases in agricultural output and a stabilisation of the energy and mining sectors would underpin growth.
($1 = 1,012.1100 kwacha)
(Reporting by Frank Phiri; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Alexander Winning)