Copperbelt millers to receive maize

Copperbelt Province Minister, Elisha Matambo says millers in the area are this week and expected to receive 80 percent of the 30,000 metric tonnes of maize which was recently released by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

Mr Matambo said the maize will help increase the production of milling companies and reduce the shortage of mealie meal in the province.

ZANIS reports that the Minister said this at a press briefing in Ndola today.

He said with the released maize, millers in the province will get back to full production and produce mealie meal.

Meanwhile, Mr Matambo said about 40,000 bags of mealie meal that were impounded by Police will be sold to members of the public at a reasonable price after the court issues disposal notices.

He further revealed that security has been heightened at border points such as Kasumbalesa, Sakania and Mokambo among others in the province so that people do not smuggle mealie meal into the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

He said over 800,000 bags of mealie meals from Zambia National Services (ZNS) were received last week and are readily available on the market.

Mr. Matambo added that the Zambia Correctional Service (ZCS) is also expected to bring on board more mealie meal that will be available for sell to the public.

He has since called on members of the public to continue being whistle-blowers if they come across people who are trying to smuggle mealie meal to the neighboring countries.

Mr Matambo added that millers and retailers are being encouraged to sell only one bag of mealie meal to an individual to avoid the shortages of the commodity.