The Zambia Cooperative Federation (ZCF) says the Solar Milling Plants installed under the Presidential Milling Initiative are serving the intended purpose.
ZCF Director-General James Chirwa said the 1,300 solar milling plants installed countrywide so far, have resulted in the stabilization of the mealie meal prices in the country.
He told ZANIS in an interview today that since last year, the mealie meal prices have remained stable which was not the case for the past 25 years.
“The Presidential Solar Milling initiative is yielding positive results. In the past 25 years we could see some upwards adjustments in the mealie meal prices but in the years 2017 and 2018 the prices have stabilized because of the solar milling plants,” he said.
Mr. Chirwa explained that people in the rural parts of the country are now finding it easy as the solar milling plants are doted closer to them.
He disclosed that out of the 1,300 installed so far, only a few are not operational due to the upgrading works going on from manual to automated plants.
Meanwhile, ZCF Commercial Manager, George Nkandu said the solar milling plants are serving their main objective of reducing the cost of mealie meal in the country.
He cited the Solar Milling Plant installed at Olympic Youth Development Center (OYDC) where people walk in to buy 20 to 30 by 50 kilogram bags of breakfast mealie meal per day.
The US$200 million four year Presidential Milling Initiative project which was rolled out in September 2015, with the aim of reducing-mealie meal prices is scheduled to be complete by December 2018.
SONTA
Turn them into Marijuana processing plants.
It’s not just a matter of producing mealie meal but balancing the books, accounting for costs and revenues and hopefully generating a profit. If that is not happening, it’s a matter of time before curtains are drawn as there will be no money for spares and maintenance. There is simply nothing for ever and ever. Late British politician Tony Benn did such things in Britain in the 1960s but they all failed.
Is this sustainable? Please ensure this won’t end up like the ZamCab of the 1970s. It’s a good thing but find means to make it a permanent thing.
This is good and this was the initiative of the late great MCS. Let the crooked millers who have been killing farmers with their monopoly of buying maize be scared with these good developments. Their days are numbered for sure.
low life’s indeed.
Really laughable how can 1300 stabilize the maize price? I mean it not like Shoprite is bulk buying from these mills…how much money has been raised from this or does it just get routed to PF accounts? Its no wonder we are indebt because of such unaudited accounts like this corrupt Presidential Initiative Fund.
What results. Meal prices are still high and why they are stable at the moment is only because it’s a question of supply and demand. There is a lot of maize available as at now since it’s harvesting season so no one in his right mind can increase prices. Just wait for December to February then see whether prices will remain the same.
They take you for foools thats why!!