THE Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in Mkushi District of Central Province has run out of empty grain bags three days after buying commenced in the area.
Mkushi District Commissioner Luka Mwamba disclosed that empty grain bags had run out in most of the FRA depots whilst some still have a few remaining.
Mr Mwamba said there are 17 FRA depots in the district and they all started buying maize on Monday.
He said the response from the small scale farmers in the district is overwhelming as they are flocking to the depots in numbers.
Mr Mwamba said the 17 depots were given 6,000 empty grain bags each which are now adequate to cater for all the maize coming in.
“ I can confirm that the FRA in the district has run out of empty grain bags within the three days the buying commenced as they are overwhelmed and receiving more maize from the farmers than anticipated”, Mr Mwamba said.
He has assured the farmers that the district would in the next few days receive empty grain buys as he had written to the FRA Provincial Coordinator to send more empty grain bags who has since ordered more bags from Lusaka.
Mr Mwamba added that with the increased floor price of K5 by President Edgar Lungu the farmers are excited and are more than willing to sell their maize to FRA.
“Farmers in the district are happy with the announcement by the Republican President Mr Lungu to increase the price of 50Kg maize bag from K70 to K75 which has motivated the farmers “, Mr Mwamba said.
Mr Mwamba said the FRA in the district is on point and attending to all the farmers who are bringing in their maize adding that he was hopeful that the district would meet its target as there is enough maize in the area.
Yet there are always statistics about the tonnes expected – you mean they can’t be translated into bags; for the purposes of stocking the bags?
One would think people can plan beyond 3 days but I guess not.
How are these farmers happy about mere announcements of floor price? Are they being paid upon delivery of their maize? If so,then it justfies their happiness.
Meanwhile we are told that Zambia experienced a very very serious drought in years and there is literary no water in the rivers due to lack of rain to the point that we can generate electricity.