Friday, November 15, 2024

Scott questions critics of FRA maize marketing system

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File: Peasant farmers wait for the Food Reserve Agency to buy their maize

Vice- President Guy Scott has wondered whether the individual small scale farmers being targeted by the government in the grain marketing system have the capacity to supply more than 153 bags of maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

Dr. Scott noted that government is targeting the small scale farmers in the country to allow them generate income from their farm produce.

The Vice President has observed that the people that want government to increase the number of bags the farmers should sell to the FRA are individuals that want to benefit from the grain marketing system at the expense of the targeted small scale famers.

Dr. Scott has emphasized that the grain marketing system is meant to empower the small-scale farmers in the country.

Dr. Scott was speaking to QFM news in an interview.

And Minister of Agriculture Emmanuel Chenda has noted that the government will give priority and ensure that the resource poor farmers benefit from the grain marketing system.

Mr. Chenda has also told QFM news that people complaining about the limit on the number of bags that the FRA will buy are traders who want to hijack the maize marketing system.

He adds that the small-scale farmers that the government is targeting in most cases do not even produce over 153 bags of maize per farming season.

An individual farmer who supplies 153 bags of maize to the FRA will realize about K 9.9 million.

[QFM]

5 COMMENTS

  1. Please continue this is a welcome move which will encourage them poor to even produce more then help them export if in excess, DRC depends on Zambia’s mealie meal products so they will even work harder….Viva PF…..only corrupt selfish people will not see this side of the move as helping poor poeple. I am thinking of my grannies so they stop asking us tax for out little monies…more money in our pockets indirectly…Viva Scott

  2. what is the connection between brief case buyers and 153 bugs government wants to buy?- somebody help me to understand what these two ministers are saying. some if not many small scale farmers produce more than 300 bags- what happens to rest of bags? somebody help.

    i don’t understand the connection between 153 bags the government is willing to buy and the perceived evil intention the vice president is saying.

  3. Really!!!!! What isme 9.9 million kwacha? It is athe drop in a ocean. There is dipthe and medicine for livestock, repair of worn out ploughs, family needs. That will will not do kolwe iwee.

  4. @Zero Boyz, your analysis of govt move needs to be reviewed. 153 bags gives you 9.9m to use untill your next harvest. Do you call that good? What happens to school fees? Do you know how much unza costs? How about depreciation of farm equipments? What happens if a cow dies of denkente? …..The VP is not thinking straight, it is actually sardist to stop a service just because it will benefit the able more than the poor.**==**

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