The Food Reserve Agency has bought 31 492 metric tonnes of maize worth 40 billion Kwacha since the maize marketing exercise started on June 1, this year.
Executive Director Lovejoy Malambo has said that the agency has disbursed over 82 billion Kwacha to all provinces to facilitate timely payment to farmers.
Professor Malambo says in a statement on today to ZNBC News that FRA has sold 579 000 metric tonnes to both local and export markets.
He said that the maize purchase programme will close on October 31st 2011. But FRA will continue buying paddy rice until November 30th the same year.
And North-Western Province Minister Daniel Kalenga has assured small scale farmers in the area that government will buy all their maize produced this year.
Mr. Kalenga has advised farmers against listening to rumours being spread by some opposition politicians that government has no money to buy the crop from the bumper harvest this year.
He has told reporters in Kabompo that all the maize will be bought as the maize marketing season has since started.
Mr. Kalenga says government cannot fail to buy the maize after subsidizing production through the Farmer Input Support Programme FISP.
And Kabompo District Commissioner Dyford Muulwa says the Farmer Input Support Programme is a success story in the district because it has created wealth for people engaged in farming.
Mr Muulwa says the district is expected to receive more than ten-billion Kwacha for the crop marketing season.
ZNBC
Atleast let us feed ourselves. People should to not go to bed hungry. We nned food to have a peaceful health nation. Great
This is very good news. I wonder which party the rural dwellers are likely to support……..
This come what may MMD is going to win by a landslide margin!!!The taste of the pudding is already in the eating.PF I bet you are feeling the heat!!Wapya munzi!!Bena bazalila nafuti!!!
FRA is cheating.the maize marketing season has not started in northern province .in nakonde FRA has not even showed signs of buying any maize.why cheat us?
Nachishita ubungabwatute, intwilo, no mulyamfubu. I dreamt about vultures circling and hyenas laughing …. woke up to find sand in my porridge