The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has purchased over 77,000 bags of maize in Itezhi-tezhi district in Southern Province since the marketing season began.
In an interview with ZANIS in Itezhi-tezhi today, District Commissioner Leonard
Shampile said that since the beginning of the marketing season, the FRA has
purchased 77,000 bags of maize and it has continued buying.
Mr Shampile said FRA was targeting to buy about 90,000 bags of maize from farmers in
the district.
However, the District Commissioner expressed concern over the limited availability
of local transporters who can transport the maize which is lying in various depots
around the district.
The District Commissioner has since appealed to FRA to hasten the transportation of
maize from the satellite depots in a bid to reduce chances of maize getting soaked
by the rains as they approach.
And the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MACO) has advertised for tenders
to transport white maize from the various satellite depots to more secure main
depot.
District Agricultural Coordinator Frank Lubasi issued the advertisement in
Itezhi-tezhi recently.
