The Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) says the illegal exportation of maize to neighbouring countries by farmers seeking to sell their produce at good prices will threaten the country’s food security.
ZACA Executive Director, Muyunda Ililonga, says the trend needs to be halted urgently as it will negatively impact on people’s wellbeing.
Mr Ililonga told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Government through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) should act quickly before all the grain is sold outside the country.
He attributed this behaviour by farmers to challenges they faced in recent years to sell their produce to the agency and the struggle they went through to get their money.
Mr Ililonga said the FRA needs to revise its payment system in order to ensure that farmers are paid on time for them to regain the confidence in the agency.
He said it is only through timely payment that farmers will have confidence in the FRA.
The ZACA Chief also appealed to Government to increase the floor price of maize in the coming marketing season to lure farmers to sell their maize to FRA.
He said farmers want to reap good returns for their investment in the agricultural sector, saying if they are unable to do gain profit they start looking for other markets where they can sell their produce at higher prices.
Mr Ililonga said Zambian farmers have for long time complained of the low price at which they sell their maize and the agency’s payment system.
He said it is time that these challenges are dealt with in order to ensure that the country retains all the maize grain it produces.
Farmers in the country have opted to illegally sell their maize to neighbouring countries where it is sold at better prices and they are paid promptly.
The development has raised anxiety among stakeholders who fear that the trend will negatively impact on the country’s food security.
ZANIS
I prefer rice to Nshima, my skin and texture of my hair is much better
Why do we keep talking about maize?
Backwards people,
Thanks
Really? You sound so dull from you cheap contributions…. Sad.
The problem we have is that Rice is difficult to cultivate unlike maize and besides, if you are used to the meal its hard to stop. I was recently in UK and i found Zambians including your Husband Mushota looking for ways to purchase the maize flower. Please spare me if am wrong but i think a culture is made up of people’s food as well and i believe Nshima is something that identifies me as a ZAMBIAN. At least i a have a nationality and a culture to be proud of. I do not know if you know Mushota, where you are from or who you are. Because you can not claim to be white as the whites will refuse you just from the your appearance. I am really happy that i know who i am .
Tell the people in the province you come from to start growing Rice you stinking primate!
Mushota, it seems you are not proud to be Zambian mwana, they is message in nshima limbi kumyenu they is hunger all over, shame.
This gov’t is not interested in this issue. Maybe road mtce.
I think the worst thing someone can do is mismanage food. The years i spent outside now i come to learn that it is not right, not to finished food on you plate.
Maize is a sensitive commodity, its the backbone of Zambia. you don’t play tricks with food. The gvt was supposed to be doing more to secure grain for future use, if we miss the few grain bags produced this year, Zambia shall be difficult to govern. The harvest has not been impressive this time. Individuals that are able to secure grain for home consumption pls do so coz i can see 25kg m/meal going at K100 this rain season.
One day the Government is bragging about FRA paying farmers on time. The next day maize cannot be bought by FRA. Have they purchased sufficient stock for the national reserve or is it another of the perennial lack of funds stories?