Some small scale farmers of in Kawambwa Central have complained over the delays by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to pay them their money for the maize sold to the agency.
ZANIS reports that the angry farmers are demanding an explanation from the government over the delayed payments as they delivered the maize to the FRA on 9th August.
One of the farmers Mathias Mupasha said the FRA marketing assistant Thompson Mbuzi was allegedly not fair in the manner in which he was releasing the payments as only three farmers out of about 400 had been paid by the end of today.
Mr Mupasha said farmers delivered their maize to the FRA on 9th August but have not been paid up to now.
He said the farmers were worried at the delays to pay them because government had announced that funds to pay the farmers were released.
Another farmer, Agnes Kabwe said he FRA’s delay was worrying because it had made some parents and guardians in the area fail to send children to school.
Mrs. Kabwe says farmers grow maize to help them ease their problems when they sell to the FRA but it was instead bringing more miseries by not paying them on time.
The farmers have also accused the District Commissioner Ivo Mpasa of not helping them whenever they approached him over the delays by the FRA to pay them.
Efforts by ZANIS to get a comment from Mr Mpasa failed as he was reported to be out of office while the FRA marketing assistant Thompson Mbuzi could also not be reached by press time.
And Farmers in Mufumbwe this morning stormed the District Commissioner’s (DC) office to complain over delayed payments for the maize they supplied to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
The farmers protested that despite supplying their maize to the FRA the agency has failed to pay them in good time adding that this has affected their preparations for the 2014/2015 farming season.
A Representative of the farmers Lapson Kayombo said the FRA has not been paying farmers in the district despite assurances from government that they would be paid within two weeks of supplying the maize.
Another Farmer, Ackson Likashi, called on government to improve the payment method by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) especially that only 32 farmers have been paid from the first book at the main depot.
Mr Likashi has since advised government through the District Commissioner to clearly explain its position on the FRA payment.
“there are some farmers that supplied their maize in August but up to now they have not been paid,” he said.
And, Chamuzuma Kapalu, another farmer , said delayed payment has greatly affected them as they are not able to mobilize themselves for the upcoming farming season.
Mr Kapalu expressed fear that the situation would only lead farmers to sell their maize to briefcase middlemen.
But Mufumbwe District Commissioner Mankishi Mukokwe appealed to the farmers to exercise patience as government was working tirelessly to address their concerns.
Ms Mukokwe assured that government remains committed to paying farmers for the maize they supplied to the FRA.
“Let us be patient as my office looks into the issue. I will call the FRA depot manager to get the details on the ground then we can look at solutions from there,” said the District Commissioner.
why keeping pipo who cant perform? Almost three qutas of pipo in our offices cant perform to expected standards.Where does FRA take money after marketing maize?
PF minions were saying most of the farmers have been paid. So why thes farmers complaining now?
PF ubufi bulaya no kubwela.
Paya Farmer according Mr HH