THE Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) has given Food Reserve Agency (FRA) up to Monday to respond to its request for a meeting to discuss the price of maize failure to which it will take an undisclosed action.
ZNFU president Jervis Zimba said the farmers’ union has given FRA chance to respond to its request up to tomorrow.
Mr Zimba said in an interview that if FRA will not respond, ZNFU will take up another undisclosed step.
“This is meant to ensure farmers are protected and motivated to even produce more maize in the next coming seasons in the country,” he said.
Mr Zimba said the union’s letter to FRA was also copied to the Ministry of Agriculture.
He said farmers should continue holding on to their maize until the meeting between FRA and ZNFU takes place.
Mr Zimba said following complaints from farmers, the union wants to ensure the price of maize by FRA fixed at K65 be revised.
“This is the only way we are going to help farmers who only have money once in a year. Selling maize at K65 only benefited the briefcase buyers at the expense of the hard-working farmers,” he said.
He also said that the union does not want to see farmers stop cultivating maize as it would affect Government when farmers shun growing the crop.
And when contacted, FRA chief executive officer Chola Kafwabulula said he should not be contacted and cut the line, but his public relations manager Daniel Msoka promised to respond to the matter.
Ati He Should Not Be Contacted???
If These Chaps Are Playing, A Significant Number Of Farmers Next Year Will Not Grow Maize, And Others Will Only Grow Maize For Their Home Consumption. This Will Lead To A Mass Reduction In Production That Will Start Making You To Start Importing Maize.
Ask Your Friends TBZ How Tobacco Farming Died.
Ask Your Fellows How Farmers Stopped Cotton Farming.
Its The Same Issues Of Prices Where You Want To Reap Where You Did Not Sow.
So As Pf Regime, You Shud Put Farmers Intrest First Or Else…..
As a PF supporter I’m not happy with this stance the govt has taken on the maize floor price. As indicated in my earlier posts if farmers don’t breakeven at K75 per 50kg bag they will make a loss resulting in less farmers growing maize next season and as a result we will import which will be more costly.
It will cost the nation only USD18 million to purchase the 500,000 tons at K1.5 per kg- I can assure any technocrats that should farmers not get that price many will not grow maize this coming season and we will spend more than USD18million to import maize! Food security is important to risk it is to risk national security! Let’s be wise- the opposition are silent on this because they want to see anarchy!!!!