Government will early next month announce the floor price of maize for this year.
Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Brian Chituwo said government has been under pressure from the public hence the need to announce the floor price of maize as soon as possible.
Dr. Chituwo said this when he opened a joint crop production exercise data collection workshop which is organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative (MACO), Central Statistics Office (CSO) and Food Security Research Project (FSRP) in Lusaka yesterday.
He advised members of the public not to panic but wait for a little while for the floor price of the staple food to be announced.
He indicated that government does not want to rush in announcing the floor price of maize because it would want to come up with a price that would make people happy.
Dr. Chituwo explained that has to make consultations before announcing the floor price of maize in the country.
The minister also pointed out that it was not only Zambians who want to know what the floor price of maize would be but the whole Southern African region because it would want to buy the commodity.
He said people need to understand that government has been doing its best in trying to have the floor price of maize announced in the country.
Dr. Chituwo however commended MACO, CSO and the FSRP for doing a commendable job of conducting crop production exercise of data collection in the country.
He said the crop production data collection exercise was very important.
He also emphasized the need for farmers in the country to grow more of other crops such as cassava, rice and Irish potatoes.
Meanwhile, CSO Director Elfridah Chulu said at the same function that the crop production exercise data collection was very important.
She said CSO would provide government and the public with all information once the crop production exercise data collection on crop production.
Of late, there has been pressure from some sectors of society pushing government to announce the flow price of maize in the country.
ZANIS/AJN/KSH/ENDS
It beats me that people can not afford and should be panicking about something they should be throwing away.
Please advise me why should I ask the GRZ to tell me what price to sell my product at. I know what I spent and what profit I should make.????
K65,000 is the proposed price for a 50kg bag of white maize
WHY NEXT MONTH, FARMERS HAVE ALREADY STARDED SELLING THEIR MAIZE CHEAP. PLEASE SAVE THEM BEFORE THEY FINISHING SELLING ALL THIER MAIZE TO CROCKS
Dr Chituwo please help us
you are already thinking of your neighbours before you have assesed if we wil have enough to take us till the next farming season
you people you never learn
if there be maize shortage again as the result of you exporting you shud think of resigning
tired and sick of getting tired and sick of leadership mistakes
They better do. How can the government allow unscrupulous businessmen to be buying a bag of maize from Namwala villagers for 18pin? A pair of school stalkings in Bata Shoe company in Lusaka is going for 20pin. Surely, a bag of maize cannot just buy a pair of school stalkings. Its criminal! How will our poor villagers pay for their fertiliser loans.? I would arrest such businessmen If I had a way.
Our leaders like talking. They can’t just act. These farmers are the pipo who brought this Government into power. But they have been 4gotten until 2011. God help us.
Abigail you are cutey mwandini.
Mwanalisa Syndrome i can prove to you that am not what you said yesterday. Marry me,you will see that i have no problem.Am enegertic and deadly since am still young.Just that iam a principled person hence still a virgin.
Napapata for the sake of my mother and other farmers come up with a price which will put smiles on both consumers and suppliers to avoid a deadweight loss.Let it be at equilibrium where everyone will be satisfied.Napapata bane ba Govt.
Chewe, let me just get to your nerves again. Suppose you have never had sex with a lady or a man but you masterbated (katele) regularly (which is very common among college/university students, would you still call yourself a virgin?
CHEWE THE PURE
Not only the pricipled one but also with self control and the fear of God and Aids.My dear with me I don’t even think of going for VCT for what?No kece,I have not done it and I have my own hair cut machine so VCT yanshi.Otherwise mulifye bwino imwe?
For number 1&2, it is important for govt to announce what is called floor price because this the price the govt will be buying maize from the farmers through FRA. However, the cost of maize production is very high at the moment and the farmers’ union or organisation is supposed to tell the farmers minimum price of a 50kg bag of maize. The govt will manipulate the price because if they buy at a high cost the price of mealie meal will automatically go up. Do you remember how they increased price of maize during campaigns last year and mealie meal price also went up? The floor price is supposed to be announced in Feb/March every year so that the farmers are harvesting they know whether to sell to FRA or other buyers.
Matworld how are you boyi? Ala kwena the government doesnt care about our farmers.They can only buy maize at a good price when its election time. And i can imagin how much energy and money farmers put in to produce maize.And its dis heartening that at the end they get very little.For those in far places where roads are impassable,the government doesnt even provide transport. In the end crooked people follow these farmers and exchange the maize with salt and sugar.My foot everything in Zambia is just fimbifimbi.
Chewe Iam great.Ala this Govt yalimpesha amano Iam now tired of it ine ntambafye nomba coz i can just be sinning agaist God.
^ We’ll waiting. hoping this will go smoothly. I just wonder whether we will be having enough for the year. But please don’t export everything so you can start importing. Its bad manners. Take care!
Mwanalisa Syndrome,its like you cant just believe it that Virgins are still there.I dont even know what you are talking about. If i feel pressure,just bath with cold water also keep myself busy watching TV or reading the bible.Hence surving,it seems you really want a virgin man hey,am here hellow?
Terence I can`t get through on that number.
He also emphasized the need for farmers in the country to grow more of other crops such as cassava, rice and Irish potatoes.
Something fishy is going on people!!Prepare for ********* ahead
Chewe, the reason I don’t believe that you are a virgin is because you have been ‘terrorising’ a number of ladies on the blog. Ulunkumbwa, lol! Anyhow, have a lovely weekend.
Chewe the virgin, have you given up on baby c? She seems to be a nice person,never say die!
Mwanalisa Syndrome i just like joking with them.They are my sisters in the lord.Kwame thanx,you are right baby C is such a nice person.Mwanalisa Syndrome i guess you are slowly getting to love me ka?
Good day all, we need to support our minister of Agriculture , he is certainly placed in an awkward position , yet he means very well for Zambia. A great General he is , and the echelon of medical professional .. , criticize less of him , he needs encouragement …. …..
Govt .should take farmers plight seriously. Why should the Zambian public not panic with such issues when Nshima is the livelyhood of Zambian masses??.Poseniko amano ba GRZ, lip service twanaka nomba..
Too late. That Maize will no longer be there. Shame
My parents are farmers and i bet this very good news to them.
Stripper your legs are nice mwe.Hellow?
Govt’s determination of the floor price of maize is a double edged sword. On one hand govt can abuse it and manipulate the market for potilitical capital and on the other, it can protect small farmers from unscrupulous maize dealers. FRA has tried to mop up maize stocks but it should operWhen will ZNFU get its house in order and strengthen the commodity exchange??
Imwe guys ine mukanjipaya fye nenseko pa blogg apa…ha ha ha!
I even forgot what I was about to comment after reading the conversations above.
I hope the price will be good for the farmers