AGRICULTURE and Livestock Minister Given Lubinda has warned traders in the country to reciprocate the recent decision by millers to reduce mealie meal prices by K4.
Mr Lubinda said it was unfortunate that most traders had refused to reduce mealie meal prices after millers agreed with the Government to reduce the prices.
He said traders were running a risk where the Government might be forced to come up with a law that would allow millers to have their own outlets which would mean that traders would be kicked out of business.
Mr Lubinda was speaking in an interview in Livingstone on Thursday at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport after officiating at the international Youth Day.
“I want to give a final appeal to millers. Those that have not set up outlets should so quickly so that consumers buy the product at a reasonable price.
“If traders are not wiling to play games with us and millers to reduce prices, they run a risk where we will come up with a law that millers must have their own outlets. It means that traders will be kicked out of business and I don’t want traders to be kicked out of business,” Mr Lubinda said.
He said he wanted traders to be responsive in the manner they were running their businesses by passing on the benefits of reduced prices to consumers.
He said Zambia was running a liberal economy and the recent reduction in mealie meal prices by the millers prices were as a result of his engagement with them.
Mr Lubinda said some millers had plants and outlets across the country and hence there was need for consumers to go and buy from the plant or depots to avoid buying expensively from traders.
“Look around where there is an established miller in your area especially those who have yielded to Government’s plea to reduce the prices.
“We usually boast of bumper harvest in Zambia and we have a lot of maize bought by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and yet the price of mealie meal is very high. It doesn’t make economic sense,” Mr Lubinda
said.
He said there was something wrong in the maize value chain from production and consumption.
“I want to address this problem in next three to four months and understand why Zambians are not benefiting from abundance of maize.
“All of us want to satisfy consumers and if consumers are not satisfied, then there is something wrong in the chain and we need to address this problem,” he said.
PF in trouble all over the place. Exchange rate sky rocketing, fuel shortage, put of control mealie meal prices… The list goes on and on
Check the Exchange rate for South African Rand today and see if your comment makes sense.
If South Africa sucks for you, let’s see you go and stay in Zambia then.
Bo Lubinda, we thought you were one of the intelligent ministers but you have obviously been contaminated. There is no mystery here.. Mealie meal is expensive because the abundant maize is expensive to produce, until this is addressed you will know no peace with mealie meal prices..wake up
Agricultural inputs are heavily subsidized by govt and it’s not true that the cost of producing maize is high. This is just propaganda. Govt shud just the wrong route and start producing maize, set up millings and outlets after all you are in govt to satisfy the people who put yu there.
Lubinda you have a certificate in agriculture economics.If you buy a bag at k61 add k2 transport and add k5 profit then you call this exploitation.Moreover the profit magin is below the inflation rate.
Lubinda sorry you have come at the wrong time when everything is in reverse gear
My respect for Hon Lubinda….HAS JUST VANISHED TODAY.
Why does he not admit that PF has grossly mis-managed the economy.
Running it on borrowed money.
Created loopholes to defraud GRZ of vital revenue.
Overpaid on infrastructural projects.
Run up exorbitant medical bills abroad.
The list is endless!!