Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo has called on millers in the province to start buying maize directly from farmers at a reasonable price to prevent future shortages of the commodity.
Mr Matambo said Millers should take advantage of the crop marketing season that has just started to ensure that they store enough maize for their production.
He said the maize that the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) is buying from farmers is not meant for the millers, but it will be stored for future use.
Mr Matambo urged farmers to be wary of some foreigners who want to buy the maize far below the government set standard of k280 by 50 kg bag of maize.
Mr. Matambo has also warned members of the public to desist from smuggling of commodity, as the Provincial task force will continue to impound and arrest would be offenders.
“We have so far impounded over 40,000 bags of mealie from the time the task force was formed, and 82 vessels are being kept at the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) offices while 52 vessels are under the care of the Zambia police.
He said so far six people have been convicted for smuggling mealie meal while others are still undergoing trial.
The Minister has also warned retailers to avoid exploiting consumers by selling a bag of mealie meal beyond the reasonable price.
He said that anyone found selling a 25kg bag of mealie meal above K200 the local authority will not renew their licenses.
And Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary Augustine Kasongo said about 7000 25kg bags of mealie meal that were impounded by the Zambia Revenue Authority ZRA have been distributed to various needy government departments and non-governmental organisations.
Mr Kasongo said 2000 bags of mealie meal has been donated to the Ministry of Health, another 2050 bags donated to the Ministry of Education,1050 bags to the social welfare department and 600 bags to the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).
“21 secondary schools in the province have benefited from the 2050bags mealie meal and 12 non-governmental institutions have also benefited with 1050 bags while 24 health institutions have received 2000 bags of mealie meal,” he said.
He further added that the province has also received 4800 bags of mealie meal from ZRA stating that the administration is yet to identify institutions that can benefit.
Has this nincompoop ever heard of a free market economy. He has no legal basis to fix the price of mealie meal as it is a question of supply and demand and shopkeepers are free to sell at any price they deem fit. No wonder he looked like a fool trying to argue with the kitwe mayor.
Isn’t this the woman abuser?
Where has this man been? Under a rock I am sure. Millers and stock feed manufacturers buy directly. Sometimes we camp at their premises while others like MUZ camp near our farming areas.
When Is HH going to do a reshuffle ??
You think he will ever do that? He loves to be surrounded by nicompoops or those who choose to look like nicompoops.
Any sane president would have suspended or fired this ugly lump of cow dung. More evidence that he had HHs blessings in verbally abusing a mayor.
I am UPND but some of our leaders like this Minister is a big embarrassment to the party, I am UPND and sometimes I criticize my own President so that he can improve and then this guy goes to thwart democracy by stopping the Kitwe mayor from criticizing the President. Such a law does not exist in Zambia and by the way who is he to start stifling democracy.