The Food and Reserve Agency’s (FRA) Branch in Mumbwa District in paying off farmers who sold their maize to the grain marketing institution during this year’s marketing season.
Overseeing the FRA’s current purchasing exercise, Mumbwa District Cooperative Union (MDCU) manger Treddy Muleya confirmed the development to ZANIS, today.
He said that farmers were being paid their cash barely three weeks after Government had reportedly funded FRA’s purchasing exercise.
Mr. Muleya disclosed that FRA’s total purchase from farmers in the district currently stood at 30,350 by 50 kg bags of white maize, and that K1.215 billion had been allocated to pay off the farmers.
He said FRA has also increased its target purchase figures from 46,000 to 98,000, by 50 kg bags per satellite depot,adding that the new target was already in effect owing to the abundance of maize available at all 9 depts.
He said that the overall outlook of FRA’s purchasing exercise looked better than last year, and implored farmers to utilize the marketing opportunities in which the FRA bought maize at the Government initiated maize floor price of K65,000 per 50 kg bag.
In a related interview, residents of Chief Kaindu’s domain have appealed to the FRA seriously consider early purchasing period as well setting up more depots in the Chiefdom.
Making the appeal, Chief Kaindu’s personal Secretary Henry Muchinda proposed to the FRA to consider buying maize in late May to June, elaborating that many farmers in the area had sold off their maize to private buyers at prices ranging between K45,000 and K50,000.
And Mpusu Area Councilor Boniface Chisoshi (MMD) said that there was need for the FRA to introduce more buying points in the are, adding that farmers from Mpusu endured over 20 kilometers to the only buying point at Kalwanyembe.
The FRA recently started paying off farmers in the district, following Government’s reported announcement that it had funded the maize purchasing exercise thee weeks ago.
ZANIS
The farmers are made to wait for their hard worked for money. Why can’t they be paid on the spot.
This is poor planning on the part of FRA. Pipo have been reaped off by breif case buyers and I dont understand why those charged with such responsibilities dont act according to their mandated duties. Of late CEO has gone silent. We pretend to move forward a step only to move backwards 20steps. Its our culture of doing things which is appalling.