THE Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection JCTR programme officer for social conditions programme, Faith Adwoko says mealie meal price changes were as a result of the subsidy removal of fuel and maize, poor yields in the 2012/2013 farming season and starting of the rainy season.
Speaking at a JCTR media briefing in Lusaka yesterday Ms Adoko said Government needed to review Agricultural policies to address the changes concerning the continued escalated mealie meal prices.
She said Government should consider not to rate basic foods by removing Value Added Tax on wheat and wheat products if it to meet desired goals in poverty reduction.
She said the removal of the fuel price triggered a sharp cost to transport goods and commodities adding that this negatively impacted on the rural community.
“As a centre we are concerned with how people living in high density areas and the rural community are meeting their basic needs,” she said.
She said the transformation of the pricing was due to inflation rates and that Government should have consulted a lot of stakeholders before making the decision.
According to Ms Adoko Government should give a clear picture on how the money channeled from subsidies to developmental projects was being utilized saying the budget catered for the sectors it had taken the funds.
How I wish they had listened but how are they going to steal if they involve stakeholders.
they waste is yet to come,watch this space.
Sorry the….
But PF was going around the country singing that subsidies only benefit the rich! Now is that so?
P.F had no agricultural policies nor do they have a plan 4 agriculture in Zambia.Look at the way Bob Sichinga, A theorist, takes a the sector and the way that Chenda boy,another theorist.tHose deserve to be deputy ministers in the ministry of Finance and Local Govt respectively.We will miss MWANAWASA AND RUPIAH’S AGRICULTURAL POLICIES
Buufiiii………… Mealie meal prices are still manageable……….
A senior executive colleague in a large milling company informs me that the increased mealie meal price in his company last week was not based on the subsidy removal. The company just increased the price to increase profitability. No increased production costs were experienced and their grain silos were still full with last 2 seasons’ crop!
He also confirmed that a number of smaller mills increase prices whenever the bigger mills did. No economic reasons are adduced.