The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has dispersed K6 billion for the purchase of maize in Eastern province.
FRA executive director Dr. Anthony Mwanaumo told ZANIS in an interview today, that
his agency has started paying farmers who sold their maize to FRA in this year’s
marketing season.
”40 farmers are expected to be paid today as we have started paying, and the
process will be done in a systematic manner where a limited number of farmers will
be paid each day,” he said.
Dr. Mwanaumo said the agency was overwhelmed with the maize production in the
province and was compelled to open more satellite depots, as the buying points in
the province were not sufficient.
”We opened 18 satellite points in Chipata district and 13 in Petauke district to
cater for the surplus though the average was 10 for each district in the province.
He revealed that the process of buying maize was slow in the Northern part of the
country because the grain still has high moisture content as compared to the grain
in Southern province.
Dr. Mwanaumo also explained that FRA will soon start refunding farmers who used
their grain bags when selling to the agency last year soon.
