President Edgar Lungu has directed the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to revisit the maize price that has been pegged at K65 per 50 kilogramme (kg) of maize. The Head of State said there is need for FRA to adjust the prices upwards so that both the farmers and the consumer are supported.
President Lungu made this directive at Mafuta Basic School in Chipangali district during a public meetings where he was drumming up support for the Patriotic Front (PF) Council Chairperson candidate for the July 26, elections Million Tembo.
President Edgar Lungu has said he will look into the K65 price for a 50 kilogramme (kg) bag of maize which the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) announced two days ago, adding that he will sit down with officials from the Ministry of Finance to see if the price can be adjusted upwards.
The Head of State said that the K65 price per 50kg bag of white maize is more like killing farmers.
FRA Board Chairperson Joe Simachela announced last Friday that the agency will purchase maize at K65 per 50kg bag of maize during the 2018 crop marketing season, a five Kwacha increase from last year’s price.
The price has since been received with mixed feeling by various stakeholders.
The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has described the K65 per 50 kilogramme bag of maize as absurd and horrendously low.
And Chikankata District Cooperative Society members have threatened to sell the maize to private buyers and not to FRA because of the low price.
Meanwhile the President said the creation of Chipangali district will help take services closer to the people in the country.
He said he is tired of hearing people of Chipangali accessing services such as obtaining National Registration Cards (NRC) and medical services from a distant place such as Chipata.
President Lungu has lashed out at people that were against the establishment of new districts, when the late President Michael Sata introduced them.
He said the creation of new districts has proved to be one way of enhancing development as people will benefit from infrastructure development
“Critics will question the establishment of districts citing lack of resource. But where there is a will, there is a way so I must assure you that resources will be found,” the President said.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has urged Million Tembo, the aspiring council chairperson for Chipangali to embrace and respect the views of all the people in the district.
The Head of State further praised the people of Chipangali for being peaceful during the entire campaign period urging them to continue with the same spirit even after the elections.
Even though this is good… it does not need the head of state to intervine…
It would rather make more sense for the head of state to ensure fluidity in institutions, so that institutions can calibrate and recalibrate what is an acceptable selling price.
This would be good for the country long after ECL is gone. It’s all about institutions not presidents to order such.
The politics of Maize and Millie meal in Zambia is just diabolical and backward. What happened to rice, p0tqt03es and pasta?
@Samuel Chonya. My sentiments exactly! This thing has too much power. Can you imagine how much damage would have been done to the US by Donald Trump if they didn’t have strong institutes? Same as Jacob Zuma. The damage he did to South Africa was somewhat mitigated because of their relatively functional institutions which they inheritated. Our current tin pot dictators will never put something in place which is against their selfish interests. It’s only when we get a person who has the interest of the common man at heart like HH are we ever going to start seeing some changes
True
Only confusing thought is the Head of State immediately reacted by saying he has nothing to do with maize floor price incuding the PF Govt but he is now directing the same authority he has no influence on. Anyway bottom line its great for farmers they will revisit the floor price. No further comment
@1.4, The President does not fix the price of maize. This is left to FRA. But he can intervene in the interests of both the farmer and consumer when FRA come up with a ridiculous price. Just like in our homes, our children have certain liberties but if they make a bad judgement we intervene as parents. The President is the father of the nation.
@1.1, You are right. I will repeat my post of a few days ago on this same issue.
Valid concerns. But the issue is that we diversify within the sphere of agriculture. Meaning it’s too much of nsima and dependence on maize, let’s grow more of other crops which have lower input and better returns than maize, like 20% maize 80% other, instead of 80% maize and 20% other.
For example:
50kg bag of maize =K65
1 ton = K1,300
The price of soya…
The price of soya ranges between K3,000 to K5,000 per ton across the country. Taking K4,000 as the average, 50kg bag of soya =K200
A peasant farmer can grow maize for consumption while growing soya for a lucrative income.
In free market economy setting of prices is done by the market hence ECL is correct. On the other hand the new directive is because the President is also in charge of FRA which a major player in the grain marketing and Govt buyer of last resort as well as storage of strategic food reserves. Hence he has influence as a player in the grain marketing business in the country.
Yesterday in Eastern Province the lazy thing said this;
“….has reiterated that government does is not responsible for determining and fixing the maize floor price.
President Lungu said it is surprising that the opposition political parties are calling on government to dictate the maize price without involving farmers who grow the product.”
but there he is at the airport tarmac giving directions to FRA.
He has powers to order them to revise if not appropriate.
MWISHO – Then why do you think I have quoted him from his Rally in Chipata yesterday….you think FRA just pluck numbers from the sky? They must have sat down with his ministers at some point…
In USA, even Fox News is getting embarrassed about what Trump is doing. Not in Zambia. Just when you thought surely this is lowest anyone can get, you hit by another low. Oh dear, I give up.
In free market economy setting of prices is done by the market hence ECL is correct. On the other hand the new directive is because the President is also in charge of FRA which a major player in the grain marketing and Govt buyer of last resort as well as storage of strategic food reserves. Hence he has influence as a player in the grain marketing business in the country.
Look at those grown men dressing up on Sunday in uniform to go and line up at Lusaka City airport to welcome a lazy man who went to Chipata for the weekend on Friday!!
Jay Jay ha ha ha ha. This whole lining up to greet the PResident must stop.
Lazy bum insolent tribal hooligan and bully and son of a polygamist father hurling unprintables HAgain! Gladly, it will NEVER be president in Zambia!
So because there are elections for mayor and council chairmen you have to intervene. What happened last year when there were no elections and the price was even lower at K60 per 50kg bag.
Bloody hell, just buy 250,000 at K100 and see what then, two variables at play, reduce the commodities to be bought and increase the price. After all from my estimates we still have 300,000 in stock.
Usual policking to blindfold the voters..
He will push it to K85 and then drop it to K60 after elections.
KKK. “He will…..then drop it to K60 after eRections” – Erections dictate the maize floor price! So the price depends on his erection!
Makes no sense at all just open the borders to grain export and let individual farmers negotiate price with would be buyers! Only government must get a share through tax which should also be negotiated! Let market forces be at play than always trying to protect consumers at the expense of producers!
#2 jj, you quote: “President Lungu said it is surprising that the opposition political parties are calling on government to DICTATE the maize price without involving farmers who grow the product.”
But colleagues, you mean this thing called jj is so tribally hopeless that it cannot imterpret its own quotes correctly?
And you see sense in involving farmers in setting the maize price…does GBM or Simba Milling come to you to consult to set their Retail Price….its clear this man and you do not know how business works. FRA is a mess and has continued to be messy under his watch..all these issues should have been taken care of long ago instead of trying to dupe farmers that he is concerned.
Coming to His Excellency, you mean to say that that you cannot rule with DIRECTING? Seeing that so far DIRECTING HAS FAILED our economy, can’t ee cha
One minute he says government is not responsible for determining the floor price of maize, and the next he is issuing directives and saying he will sit down with the finance ministry to assess upward adjustment of the price.
I have asked many a time here, what government policy on agriculture is, if it exists. This constant turn around and twist from one statement to the other, is on the other hand an indication that there is no blueprint for agriculture from this government – nor an understanding or appreciation of the strategic position of farming for any country.
Its laughable as if FRA has funds in their account, as if they would just pluck K100 per bag without consulting Finance Ministry….if he is really serious let him host a press conference not say one a Rally when he is drunk only to back track on the airport tarmac.
lungu is a good president
I will add: By any standards.
This is what this visioneless misfit wanted to gain political mileage out of this gibberish. He distanced his government from this obnoxious price now he is trying to be a good Samaritan. Adjust to what from K65 to K75? Just accept that your agriculture policies have killed farming in this country and is a detriment to human development. Everything is politics, why cant we be sober minded for once and deal with issues with the seriousness they deserve? The IMF has said no money, where is the money going to come from? All of it has been stolen already.
UPND dunderheads you are so good at criticising tell us what you would do. Iwe @JJ tell us solutions on what you and your fellow tribalists would do. Can’t you see that this campaign of hatred and name calling has failed. ECL and PF are getting stronger whilst the fortunes of your tribal grouping is dwindling.
First he says he has no input on the price , now he is instructing lowering the price , lungu knew the price before it came out and was just testing same with the political PF violence , lungu knows exactly who and when it is happening , with one phonecall all violence can be stoped by lungu…
Second, he says “When I become president,” and he doesn’t become one! Go back to the farm!
Our service chiefs are short. Viva Bowman Lusambo for President.
Let’s role! They will be outcries everyday. Even HH and his tribal grouping are “OUTCRYING” daily on LT. That doesn’t mean a thing!
Sorry, roll!
A realistic price would at least be K1.5per kg. The crooked millers I’ll threaten to increase their price of mealie meal, govt should take a hard stand against these thieves who have killed farmers for too many years. Those millers found wanting should be sent to the cells please because what they are doing is equivalent to espionage. They are putting the nations food security at risk for the sake of growing bigger bellies and driving posh cars!