Mr Lubinda has told Parliament in a ministerial statement that while government is aware that prices of maize in Lusaka are as high as K1,950 per metric ton, farmers are still selling maize to the FRA in all other parts of the country at K1,500 per metric ton or K75.00 per 50kg bag.
He says there private sector is therefore encouraged to purchase maize from outlaying areas where it is selling at prices up to K75.00 per 50kg bag.
Mr Lubinda adds that the National Stocks Committee which comprises among other stakeholders the Millers Association of Zambia and is chaired by his ministry meets every months to deliberate on agricultural commodities, and that disappointingly, the Miller Association of Zambia did not attend the committee’s last meeting despite several requests for them to do so.
He says during the National Stocks Committee held on 15th September 2015, stakeholders reported that the country had maize stocks in excess of one million, five hundred ninety four thousand ,seven hundred and ten metric tons.
Mr Lubinda states that of this amount the Food Reserve Agency had 957,930 metric tons while the rest was held by the private sector.
The Agriculture Minister says given this situation there is no justification for millers to claim there is a shortage of maize to necessitate the demand for banning the export of maize or increase in mealie meal prices.
He adds that at the national level is food secure, and that the country has sufficient stocks of maize to meet domestic requirements with a reasonable surplus for export.
Mr Lubinda says government will ensure that consumers are protected, adding that by so doing government is not imposing price controls.
Meanwhile Mr Lubinda says the Food Reserve Agency has at 1st October, 2015 purchased maize in excess 587,000 metric tons of maize worth K880,506,675.
He says the agency has thus far paid out K96,800,000 to farmers leaving a balance K783,706,675.
Mr Lubinda adds that the ministry of Finance has already to the Bank of Zambia for onward transmission to the ministry of Agriculture the full amount owed to farmers for payment of the outstanding arrears.
He has since assured farmers that they will be paid without any delay.
MR MINISTER STOP EXPOSING SUCH SHALLOW APPROACHES TO COMPLEX PROBLEMS. THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING MEALIE MEAL AND SUPPLYING IT TO THE MARKET HAS LOT MORE VARIABLES THAN THE COST AND AVAILABILITY OF GRAIN. YOU SAY THE MILLERS CAN BUY GRAIN FROM OUTLYING AREAS THEN WHAT TRANSPORT THAT GRAIN USING YOUR CAMELS? THEN THERE IS THE ENERGY FACTOR YOU THINK THEY WILL USE YOUR PF TRACTOR TO POWER THEIR PLANTS. YOU HAVE NOT ACCOUNTED FOR PACKAGING WHICH FOR THE MOST PART IS IMPORTED.SO MR MINISTER PLEASE STOP ISSUING ILL ADVISED UN VETTED STATEMENTS WITHOUT LOGIC. WE EXPECT BETTER FROM YOU. THE MILLERS HAVE A CASE AND ITS YOUR FAILURE AS PF THAT IS CAUSING THIS.
Even if they use camel to transport maize, the one leading the camels will need to be paid. The cost of living has gone up yet all PF ministers can say is that there’s no maize shortage. Even these millers are buying food from Shoprite where all prices have gone up due to the depreciation of kwacha. The cost of living in the country has almost doubled this year, so how do you expect millers to keep their prices the same simply because mealie meal is political? Take the kwacha to where it was in January at K6 to a $ then you won’t have to cry about price hikes you id!ots!
The goverment stance on the millers is wellcome. What of the bakeries who have increased the bread by 100% in just a month. It will ne unfair to millers if other are increasing without control this issue should be balanced. The price Bread is to much in copperbelt we are buying bread at k10
Zayellow , next year is maiko zulu , we r tired of u
Comment:
the story above is fr maize meal. bread is nt made out of maize meal bt wheat flour. flour prices have increased from k235/ 50kg bag to k416/50kg bag. add to this other input costs which have also increased due to the dollar problem like yeast,premix and packaging. then add the wastage of flour and bread in ovens due to ramdom load shedding. we did complain about wheat flour prices bt nthng haa been done. they shoul allow the importation of wheat and flour otherwise it will be worse.
So true Mr Lubinda!!! Do not increase price of mealie meal. But on the other hand you want to ban imports of cooking oil (which is cheaper) and want us to buy overpriced and sub standard local cooking oil. Good economics!!! Keep it up will help you in the upcoming elections….