THE price of maize at some markets in Lusaka has reduced drastically following an influx of cheaper supplies from farmers who are selling the commodity far below the K65,000 floor price recommended by the Food Reserve Agency.
The farmers are selling their maize for an average of K45,000 per 50kg bag to millers and traders in Lusaka.
A check conducted in Lusaka yesterday showed that the farmers were selling maize at K900 per kilogramme.
One trader at Soweto Market said some millers were buying the grain at prices as low as K850 per kilogramme as some farmers were desparate to sell their maize.
In other food prices, kapenta bought from Mpulungu in Northern Province and beans imported from Solwezi were going for K45,000 per five kilogramme package.
Kapenta bought from Siavonga and other varieties of beans were going for K35,000 per five kilogrammes.
The high price of beans imported from Solwezi was attributed to high transportation costs of the commodity from the source.
A 10kg bag of potatoes was going for K35,000 for bigger potatoes and K15,000 for a five-kilogramme bag of medium-sized potatoes, while a five-kilogramme bag of groundnuts was pegged at K15,000.
For some varieties of vegetables, rape was going at K1,000 for a small bunch. Cabbage was selling at between K2,000 and K3,000.
[Times of Zambia]
This is a working government. Low prices means more money in people’s pockets. Vote for MMD in order to continue having more money in your pockets!
this is good news. at least some assurance that many people wont sleep hungry.