Friday, March 29, 2024

The is K160 increase from K 150 per 50 KG bag of maize is a mockery to farmers, says Chikankata Village headman

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Following the Food Reserve Agency’s ( FRA ) announcement of the floor price yesterday, the farming community in Chikankata Town, Southern province has received the announcement with mixed feelings.

While a few of the residents welcomed the slight increase by K 10 for a 50 kilogram bag of maize, majority in the area expressed their indifference.

Village headman Nalipapa says the is K160 increase from K 150 per 50 KG bag of maize is a mockery to farmers.

He suggested in an interview that the FRA should have increased the price to K200 considering the production costs.

And Village headman Telebwe advised the Agency to rescind its decision and revise its new floor price about K 200 per 50 Kilogramme bag.

The price is not motivating to farmers and therefore should be increased to a reasonable price, he said .

village headman Namuswa on his part said the price is demotivating to the farming community as there are labour and production costs in growing maize that needs a better price.

The Food Reserve Agency -FRA- will buy a 50 kg bag of maize at 160 Kwacha from last years’ K 150.

FRA Board Chairperson Kelevin Hambwezya said his Agency will buy 170,000 metric tonnes of maize during this marketing season.

Mr. Hambwezya also announced that the agency will buy rice at 200 Kwacha per 40 Kg bag while Soy beans has been pegged at 550 Kwacha per bag.

The prices announced are not the floor price but that people are free to enter the market and buy at the price of their choice.

8 COMMENTS

  1. Those disappointed with the marginal increase in the floor price of Maize are actual farmers who know what it takes to grow maize from preparing fields, planting applying fertilizers, weeding, harvesting, shelling, packaging and transporting the bulk agricultural commodity to the depots and markets. They are not praise-singers sitting on computer some of whom have never before made their hands dirty and engaged in back-breaking work to produce maize. They know what they are talking about when they say K160 per 50kg bag of maize is a mockery.

    • I dont understand anything about maize except that its a carbohydrate but I wont accept this so-called increase.

  2. Farmers need to demand to be paid at world price; grains right now are in shortfall. Remember, the better we pay our people, the better will the nation’s purchasing power.

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