Farmers in Kaputa District have advised government to increase this year’s maize floor price at K85 per 50 kilogram bag.
And Kaputa Central Camp Agricultural Committee (CAC) Chairperson, Philemon Kapoma suggested that government needs to consider the price of fertilizer and other costs when coming up with the price.
Meanwhile, Kaputa has been allocated with six satellite depots where the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will be buying the maize from.
The farmers say their demand for increased floor price was because the current floor price has remained at K65 last four seasons.
ZANIS reports that the concerned farmers said this in an interview at the Kaputa Central Agricultural Camp Show yesterday.
They said government needs to look into their plight and increase the floor price.
The over 100 farmers who attended the Camp show over half said they want the floor price increased to K85 while a few proposed K75.
And Kaputa Central Camp Agricultural Committee (CAC) Chairperson, Philemon Kapoma suggested that government needs to consider the price of fertilizer and other costs when coming up with the price.
Mr. Kapoma told ZANIS in a separate interview that most farmers were not having any profit by selling the maize at K65 .
Meanwhile, Kaputa has been allocated with six satellite depots where the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will be buying the maize from.
Acting Kaputa District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO) Charles Mwanza said Kaputa will have six satellite depots while Nsama district will have four.
Mr. Mwanza said the two districts will start with the same satellite but is hopeful that the number of satellites will be increased once the marketing season gains momentum.
The maize floor price for maize has remained at K65 per 50 kg bag since 2009.
INTERESTING THAT FARMERS IN KAPUTA HAVE SUGGESTED THIS INCREASE IN PRICE LEVEL! THIS AREA IS PREDOMINANTLY A CASSAVA AND RICE GROWING AND NOT MAIZE BECAUSE OF LOW RAINFALL. THEY STARTED GROWING MAIZE ALONG THE BANKS OF DRYING LAKE NWERU WANTIPA BUT THIS YEAR MOST HAVE LOST THE CROP DUE TO FLOODING! THAT SAID HOWEVER, THE PROPOSAL DOES NOT LOOK AT THE CONSUMPTION SIDE. WHAT WOULD BE THE PRICE OF MEALIE MEAL KNOWING VERY WELL THAT THE SUBSIDY ON CONSUMPTION IS NOT THERE AND THE PEOPLE TO PAY THIS PRICE WOULD BE CONSUMERS? AS A GUIDE AND SIMPLE MATHEMATICS: IF AT K 65.00 PER 50 KG BAG OR MAIZE IS COSTING CONSUMERS K 80.00 PER 25 KG MEALIE MEAL, THEN IT FOLLOWS: AT THE PROPOSED PRICE OF K 85.00/50 KG OF MAIZE THEN 25 KG BAG M/MEAL SHOULD BE ASKING FOR ABOVE
K105.00 IN SOME PLACES LIKE…
I COME FROM THIS AREA AND I KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. THE SAME PEOPLE DO NOT KEEP MUCH OF THEIR PRODUCE FOR THEIR OWN HOME CONSUMPTION BUT SELL MOST OF IT AND THEN RELYING ON MEALIE MEAL FROM EITHER MANSA OR KASAMA. THIS IS AN ECONOMIC PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO THE STAPLE CROPS LIKE MAIZE. HOW DOES ONE BALANCE BETWEEN THE NEED TO REWARD FARMERS ADEQUATELY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TRYING TO KEEP THE CONSUMER PRICES AFFORDABLE OR LOW? ONE CANNOT HAVE BOTH WITHOUT THE SUBSIDY OTHERWISE CALLS FOR A LIVING WAGE WOULD MOUNT. GAIN, WHAT SHOULD BE THE LEVEL OF THIS SUBSIDY BECAUSE IT MUST BE SUSTAINABLE AND NOT WHERE YOU START SUBSIDISING EVEN THOSE CONSUMERS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES? QUITE A TOPICAL ISSUE AND YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE!