An Agro dealer in Chikankata district in Southern Province Clement Matente has appealed to government to announce the floor price of maize for the 2016-2017 crop marketing season.
Mr Matente says the delay to announce the floor price of maize will create a conducive environment for briefcase maize buyers to exploit farmers of their maize.
ZANIS reports that the Agro dealer said this over the weekend during the Chikankata district Agriculture Show which was held at New Chikankata district grounds.
Mr Matente said a lot of briefcase maize dealers have invaded most parts of Chikankata district busy swindling farmers of the maize at a low price.
And that Mr Matente has also congratulated government for adopting the E-voucher system which he said was the best way to go on the part of government in improving the agriculture sector.
Mr Matente said the E-voucher system is a good method of supplying fertilizer to Small Scale Farmers, despite having been faced with numerous challenges during the 2016-2017 farming season.
He said he had all the confidence that government will be able to iron out all the challenges which have already been identified during the 2016- 2-17 farming season for the forth coming 2017-2018 farming season.
Mr Matente said it is also gratifying to notice that government has prioritized the agriculture sector in the nation as opposed to depending to copper, which said is a finished good.
Meanwhile, Government has cautioned farmers in Mpulungu District in Northern Province against being exploited by selfish businessmen and women who offer non-competitive prices for maize.
Area Member of Parliament Brian Mundubile says farmers in the area must not to fall prey to private maize buyers enticing them to buy their produce at a cheap price.
Speaking when he addressed farmers in his constituency, Mr Mundubile who is also Northern Province Minister, said farmers need to attach value to their hard-earned agricultural produce and reject cheap offers.
He has since challenged private companies and other individuals willing to buy maize from farmers to offer competitive prices for the commodity.
Mr Mundubile said private buyers and millers must not take undue advantage of poor farmers as result of government’s decision to allow private sector participation in the purchase of maize.
Wasting time to ask PF bandits! PF bandits will take all the maize to Malavi with Dora Siliti.
By the way, how much is mealie meal after visionless Lungu & Dora had a “fruitful meeting with the millers” in January 2017 as reported by LT?
PF Ni njala.
The Skeleton Key
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They are just good at rhetoric,practically they are the most useless govt.look at the price of soya beans from k4.50 last year to k2.00 this year because there are no elections this year.zambians lets open our eyes against these PAYA FARMERS. They ve no capacity to rule apart from borrowing and corruption.
Thought govt said they will not do that this year but allow buyers and farmers negotiate.
How can govt annouce floor price when it cannot afford to buy the maize. They are expecting revenue from exports to pay for FRA purchases. How can you announce bumper crop without the correct moisture content being achieved .
Mundubile you are advising against exploitation by briefcase operators. So please tell us who else to sell our maize to in Chikankata ? We have debts to settle and school fees to pay!
If FRA doesnt start buying we are forced to sell at K40 per bag of maize.
When will FRA open its doors ?
FRA stopped setting the flow price. they`ll only buy 500,000 mt this year at their own price, farmers need to learn to negotiate and work together to set their own price. If GRZ sets a price too high, they`ll rejoice and yet no one will sell their ,maize because private sector wont buy, if GRZ sets their price too low, the same farmers will cry again. Zambian farmers need to understand business and proper record keeping.