The Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) has expressed concern with over supplying and dumping of several fresh commodities, such as cabbages and tomatoes on the market.
ZNFU Public Relations Manager Kakoma Kaleyi said the dumping which is done by a few known farmers who are supplying the market with fresh commodities on a daily basis is causing a significant drop in commodity prices, resulting in many farmers producing at a loss.
Mr Kaleyi said that the over-supply of these fresh vegetables is part of the losses that is hurting the farmers, especially the small scale and emergent farmers, some of whom are contemplating to stop production altogether.
He told ZANIS in a statement that the Union is working with the Lusaka City Council and the Ministry of Local Government to formalize and operationalize structured fruits and vegetable markets, including a structured “Agents systems” at markets, which would see Agents get formal recognition as commodity handlers for farmers.
Mr Kaleyi urged farmers to continue producing and spreading their produce across all markets.
Mr Keleyi called on the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Local Government and the Council to take keen interest in the new development which is happening for the first time in the country.
“We urge these known farmers who are growing massive hectares of tomatoes to get into value addition as opposed to dumping their products at Soweto, Copperbelt and Kasumbalesa markets, We are calling on the farmers involved in this dumping to refrain from this vice as this is distorting the market and creating unfair competition,”Mr Kaleyi stated.
He explained that the dangers of what is going on is that the small-scale and emergent farmers will stop producing tomatoes which may result in the country importing tomatoes in an event that such commercial farmers encounter challenges such as diseases or calamity.
“We should take a leaf from the poultry industry where those with big volumes are in processing and those with smaller numbers are selling live birds. And hence our advice to these known farmers is to get into value addition as what they are doing will not be accepted anymore,” Mr Kaleyi noted.
WHAT A STUPID RESPONSE FROM ZNFU
THIS IS A LIVELYHOOD FOR MANY VENDORS
ALSO WHERE DO YOU WANT SUCH FARMERS TO DUMP THEIR PRODUCE
SUPPLY AND DEMAND RULES THE PRICE
Every market needs to have refrigeration facilities. That’s an opportunity for entrepreneurs. Get the CDF money, invest in that. Start small. With enough space you expand with market needs.
Is there a canning factory for tomatoes in zambia………?
To preserve fresh tomatoes , the container does not need to be a metal , it can be the same containers shake shake is packaged in…………
THERE WAS A CANNING FACTORY CLOSED BY KK
REMEMBER LYONS BROOKE BOND IN NDOLA
ZNFU you have pig farmers in your union why not let them work with markets?
Let the dumping continue….why should the supply of tomato and cabbages be artificially restricted….the price is good, … Let ZNFU talk about their members failure to grow Onions, ndelele, bodweetc … Leave Tomato and cabbage farmers alone, its sorted and just hoping the current supply volumes and pricing can become standard…
So what does he he think they should do? He’s supposed to give profitable advice instead of discouraging them.
ZNFU, are you sure you don’t understand supply and demand, why do you want to create two distinct markets. Let anybody sell where there is a market,
They don’t want to excercise their lazy brains. This time tomato is plentiful and cheap. Come rainy time it will be the opposite.
ZNFU stop your nonsense. You just don’t want competition so that you can dictate prices the way you did to potatoes and onions.
It’s a misplaced argument but govt needs to seriously look into it. This is where govt needs to exhibit innovation. Instead of having ministers that force kachasu down the throats of citizens we should have ministers coming up with solutions to this very positive development of a bumper harvest. We can’t be complaining of over supply of food in a hungry nation. Let’s quickly work on beneficiation industries ba minister of commerce, agriculture, local government, finance. Work together for mother Zambia!