The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has urged farmers to stop selling maize at low prices saying it will soon commence the purchase of maize at a reasonable price.
FRA Board Chairperson, Coasten Chilala told ZANIS in Mazabuka yesterday, that FRA is saddened with the disturbing reports that farmers in most parts of the country are allegedly selling maize at low prices despite calls by government not to do so.
Unscrupulous maize delaers are buying maize at low as K 16,000 in some parts of the district.
Mr Chilala urged farmers to exercise patience and allow the government and other stakeholders determine the floor price.
He said farmers should be wary of the consequences of selling maize at low prices because they will not be able to buy fertiliser.
Mr Chilala also disclosed that FRA projects to purchase 150,000 metric tonnes of white maize from small scale farmers as national strategic food reserves during the 2008-2009 maize marketing season.
Mr Chilala said although farmers are allegedly selling maize at give away prices, the agency would manage to reach its target.
He explained that in the last marketing season, the agency bought 80,000 metric tonnes of maize from small scale farmers.
Authorities, Parliamentarians, Zambia National Farmers Union and Chiefs in Mazabuka have equally expressed concern at the low maize prices farmers were offering to suspected bogus maize traders.
ZANIS/HC/ENDSW/MM
Prepare for hard times ahead.
A bird in hand is better than two in the bush…..farmers are hungry, they need to clothe their families, pay for school fees and many other needs. They can not wait for FRA to make announcements, and wait even further for FRA to go to the villages in August. Its a free market economy mudala, the one with the money normally talks……
farmers need money now and not next month or whenever you will feel like announcing the floor price. its inefficiency (amataba nayoma) simple k 70,000 period
Dont expect people to start dying whilst they have maize. Chituwo said he would announce the price in May. You expect the farmers to wait for him? Who is Chituwo kanshi?
Dont just say FRA will start buying soon release the price
TO BE HONEST FRA,GVT AND ZNFU ARE A SHAME DESPITE ALL THE EDUCATION THAT THEY HAVE. HOW CAN ON ONE HAND SAY FARMING IS A BUSINESS AND ON ANOTHER YOU DONT TELL THE FARMER IN ADVANCE WHAT THEY EXPECT TO GET FROM THEIR HARDWORK….. IF FARMING IS A BUSINESS THEN THE FARMERS DESERVES TO KNOW THE FLOOR PRICE BEFORE THE PLANTING SEASON. THIS WILL ENABLE THE FARMERS TO PLAN THEIR ACTIVITIES BASED ON THE RETURNS….ON ANOTHER ISSUE AGRICULTURE IS NOT JUST ABOUT EQUIPMENT…. THE INCENTIVES SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO MOST OF THE INPUTS THAT GOES WITH AGRICULTURE. FROM FERT,CHEMICALS,FUEL, ELECT,PACKAGING ETC…U CANT JUST WAVE OFF DUTIES ON ONE FACTOR—- DIVERSIFICATION OF THE ECONOMY WOULD NOT WORK WITH THIS BLINDNESS IN THE GVT POLICIES TOWARDS AGRICULTURE. PLS ENERGIZE AGRICUTURE AS A WHOLE!!
PLEASE BUY CASH AND NOT NKONGOLE….THIS WILL ELIMINATE UNSCRUPULOUS/SCRUPULOUS BUSINESS MEN….. THIS IS THE ONLY REMEDY
IKfbh6 comment3 ,
I want to say – thank you for this!