The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has ordered Mumbwa District Cooperative Union (MDCU) to sell 30 tones of the reserved maize to the local people in the district.
Mumbwa District Corporative Manager, Treddy Muleya, confirmed to ZANIS that the FRA had instructed the cooperative to sell the reserved maize locally.
Mr. Muleya said the decision to sell the reserved maize was aimed at addressing the expected maize shortage in the district, which has been caused by heavy rainfall and floodss.
He said that a rationing system would be employed to permit each family to buy a maximum of five bags weighing 50kg in a month.
Mr. Muleya expressed confidence that the exercise, which started last week, would be done in good faith, adding that the 5 x 50kg bags of maize was enough to sustain an average family for the whole month.
He said Mumbwa district had recorded a bumper harvest in 2006 to 2007 farming season, but noted that the area would this year record a poor harvest because of floods.
Mr. Muleya however, expressed displeasure at Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for its alleged delay to sell the reserved maize.
He said the selling of the reserved maize was supposed to be done between January and February when there was acute food shortage in the district.
He advised the FRA to consider selling the reserved maize earlier in future.
