Police in Chinsali arrest agro dealer who failed to supply inputs to 600 farmers

Police in Chinsali district in Muchinga Province have arrested an agro dealer for allegedly falling to supply farming inputs to over 600 small scale farmers in the district.

Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary (PS), Jobbicks Kalumba who called for the immediate arrest of the local agro dealer trading as Mukwasu for allegedly failing to supply inputs to small scale farmers in Chinsali, confirmed the arrest of Joseph Sakala, proprietor of Mukwasu agro dealers.

ZANIS reports that Dr. Kalumba said Sakala was arrested on Friday.

Dr. Kalumba however, said Sakala has been released on condition that he facilitates the quick supply of farming inputs to the affected small scale farmers in Chinsali district.

The PS has since warned that he will not tolerate people frustrating government programmes.

And farmers who stormed the office of the Provincial Permanent Secretary this morning charged that efforts to get their inputs from the agro dealer in the past one month has proved futile.

One of the affected farmers, Belita Chibansa aged 78, from Masandiko Village told ZANIS that she was promised to receive the inputs three weeks ago after successfully swiping her E-Voucher card and paying a top up of K40 cash but to date, she has not received the inputs.

Another farmer George Katongo said the agro dealer has been promising to supply them with inputs for the past one month.

Mr Katongo complained that continued failure to supply them with inputs is affecting their farming activities adding that the delayed inputs will also affect crop production for the 2019/2020 farming season.

Over 600 small scale farmers in Chinsali district have been spending nights in the cold after an agro dealer failed to supply them with inputs.

The agro dealer is reportedly to have failed to supply agro inputs for the past one month despite, farmers having successfully swiped their E-Voucher cards and further, received a top up of K40 cash from each farmer for the 3 packs of fertiliser and seed.