Friday, March 29, 2024

Lubinda to meet millers over possibility of reducing mealie-meal prices

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Given Lubinda prepares the audience for the Lukulu Rally
Given Lubinda

GOVERNMENT will soon meet millers to discuss the possibility of reducing mealie-meal prices following the reduction in fuel prices, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Given Lubinda has said.

The Energy Regulation Board last month slashed fuel prices by an average 28 percent, but most service providers have been slow in effecting a downward push on costs for goods and services.

Mr Lubinda said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Government is working round the clock to ensure that mealie-meal prices are reduced.

“I am just waiting to be briefed by my officers at the ministry before I call for a meeting with millers.

“Government is very concerned about the high prices of mealie meal and it is just important that we work together with millers so that the prices can be reduced,” Mr Lubinda said.

He said Government is putting in place mechanisms that will ensure that mealie-meal prices do not increase further in the short and medium term.
Mr Lubinda has since asked millers in the country to act morally and immediately reduce the prices.

He said it is sad that the people of Zambia have been subjected to buying mealie-meal at exorbitant prices despite Government having reduced the price of fuel.

And Agriculture and Livestock permanent secretary David Shamulenge has advised the ministry’s staff in Isoka district to be proactive on project implementation, reports ZANIS.

Dr Shamulenge made the call yesterday when he met Isoka district agriculture coordinator (DACO) Victor Siame during his continued Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) implementation verification in Muchinga Province.

Dr Shamulenge noted that farmers are supposed to be paid early for them to adequately plan for the subsequent season while inputs are also expected to be delivered by August to facilitate early distribution to farflung areas of the district.

He assured the DACO that Muchinga Province will be given priority in input distribution due to its bad terrain and to ensure that distribution is completed before most roads become impassable.

Dr Shamulenge also said that there is need for private sector involvement in both input distribution and crop purchases from farmers for the viability of the two programmes.

And speaking when he called on district commissioner Joe Siwila at his office yesterday, Dr Shamulenge said that he will look into the plight of Isoka to ensure that the youths benefit from programmes coming to the district in terms of employment.

12 COMMENTS

  1. Artificial price controls are not a long-term solution. Its a good start but more long term solutions are required. The only solution for the high prices of mealie meal is to grow more maize and have more millers. Unfortunately with the way our current government treats farmers there is little chance of that happening. Provide an incentive for farmers and see what happens. The circus continues. Come 2016 tuka voter ne nsala see what happens. We told you so.

    • PF has been in power for almost 4 years and they have lambently failed to reduce the prices of mealie meal. Shame on them.
      All that PF says is just cosmetic because they believe in Donchi Kubeba sickness. What they say, please believe the opposite side of their pathological lies.
      Ever since PF came into power, the cost of living is beyond the reach of millions of majority poor Zambians.
      Bo Lubinda if you’re dozing off, please ask HH for help, otherwise stop bringing hope to the suffering many. Anything that PF says is all Buhata, Boza, Bufi & Kubenja.
      PF has failed the country and that’s a fact. Only few crooked individuals are enjoying the countries wealthiness.
      Action speaks louder than words Bo Lubinda, so next week a bag of maize meal should cost K30 for a 25kg.
      The…

    • I hope GBM will be leading the millers team, otherwise there will not be any results. The snubbed Simussa tried such meeting, and he just made things worse.

  2. How many times are you going to meet the mealies ? You do know Zambia or Southern Africa depends on maize . Useless ,selfless and dull leaders . We are tired with your lies so barlostland agreement is not valid .

  3. The solution will never lie in countless meetings with millers. Fuel prices will only end at reducing bus fares-even that is being debated and resisted as we speak. If the justification for price reduction is solely base on fuel prices, then prices will immediately go up as soon as oil prices go up on the world market.
    We just have to wait for long-term solutions after 2016.

    • And what are those longterm solutions? Or they’re travelling from somewhere and will only arrive in 2016?

      I think the President has asked for participation from all Zambians, and if you have some positive contributions, don’t wait until your preferred party or person comes to power. Share them now. Besides, who knows if that person or party you want will get in?

      If they are the ones with the good solutions, then they should act responsibly and with patriotism and share with the sitting government what those solutions could be.

      Hence why the Minister wants to meet the millers as part of coming up with what he called medium and longterm solutions.

    • Millers don’t use fuel to produce millie meal they use maize.So as long as maize prices are high so shall the mealie meal prices.Don’t forget maize subsidies were scrapped off.

  4. Government should just buy hammer mills and place them in all provincial centres to do away with uncompromising millers who want to be adamant with high mealie meal prices

  5. MR LUBINDA YOU DON’T MAYBE HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH MILLERS. JUST START CONSTRUCTING MILLING PLANTS IN RULAL ZAMBIA AS THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROMISED IN ORDER TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE THE PRICES OF MAIZE MEAL. TALKING TO MILLERS WILL TAKE A LIFE TIME. THE PROBLEM FOR THE HIGH COST OF CORN MEAL IS WELL KNOWN- MILLING THE COMMODITY IN CITIES AND TRANSPORTING IT TO RURAL AREAS. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE OTHER WAY ROUND OR BALANCED.

  6. 1.JUST INTRODUCE COUPONS MEAL MEAL WILL DEFINATELY THE PRICE WILL DROP.
    2.MR.LUBINDA ASK PERMMISSION FROM BOSS SO THAT YOU CAN GO AND CONSULT BABA MUKULU – MUGABE

  7. Dear Mr Minister, you need to realize that this approach is temporal in nature. Yes, the reduction is welcome, however, they is need to look at the production side of the maize and see areas cost of production can be reduced. That is the more sustainable way to ensure farming remains viable as a business and reducing cost of leaving in general. It is not possible that you reduce only the cost of bungu to improve the living standards of Zambians. Agriculture as a business is looking for new ways of doing business, only if you were a listening govt advise would have been given for free. You job as minister of agriculture and…. is to deal with the sector in a holistic approach and not this piece meal approach of yours.

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