Minister of Agriculture, Michael Katambo, has refuted claims that the government has reintroduced price controls on maize.
Mr Katambo has noted that where grain is concerned, Zambia has a liberalized economy and market hence farmers have the right to sell as they wish in situations where they find a better market.
The Minister has however stated that the government has had to engage millers and other stakeholders on the escalating prices of maize, adding that it is a matter of great concern knowing that maize is the country’s staple food.
He told journalists in Lusaka today that government did not dictate to the millers, manufacturers or the Grain Traders Association of Zambia, with regards to the price of maize, but that it was a measure of engaging each other in trying to find a solution to stabilize the purchase of the country’s staple food.
Mr Katambo added that the meeting therefore overwhelmingly decided that a bag of maize was to be bought at K130 which should see the price of roller meal ranging between K80 and K90 and breakfast ranging from K100 to less than K115 which is affordable to all Zambians.
He observed that people have been complaining about the escalating prices of mealie meal, and it was the mandate of government to engage players in the maize sub-sector, in order to put a stoppage to the situation and bring about an amicable solution.
The Minister commended the stakeholders that were engaged in a meeting, stating that the development was done in a spirit of patriotism, and urged many other citizens to come on board and support the noble cause.
The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) President, Jervis Zimba, in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday, accused the Minister of Agriculture of reintroducing price controls on maize.
Mr Zimba further claimed that Mr Katambo met with Stockfeed Producers, Millers, and Traders and threatened or coerced them to impose the price of K130 per 50kilogram bag of maize with full support from the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), done on the basis of price controls.
Now that’s a fcuk for a minister
These 2 malalapies are busy asking each other ati what comes first ,the chicken or the egg.
Please government introduce maize price controls to stop the madness of increased prices.
Looking futher , The problem here is not price of meal meal or a bag of maize, the problem is that there are no jobs with some not getting paid on time……
People can see all these nice roads and buildings but can not get employment, the whole country can not be bussiness men and women.
LT, please stop the confusion. Post a relevant photo for the story. Nkandu Luo is , today, the minister of fisheries and livestock but you give us an undated photo of Michael Katambo dealing with eggs as minister of agriculture. What is the meaning of this? Surely you know we can read so we can also see. This is highly unprofessional. Stop throwing photos where they do not connect to the story. Use today’s photo for today’s news. Do not go into the archives.
Instead of giving us solutions to the problem this baboon is refuting things like a baby caught stealing sugar
Once you introduce price controls you will at the same time introduce a thriving black market.
GRZ has not introduced maize price controls but HH is so powerful more than GRZ he has raised the prices.Mr Katumbo resign please you’re minister of ufupuba.
What is the current price of a bag of fertilizer? You send carders to force millers to reduce maize buying price then you refute claims. Interesting!