Government has resolved the mealie-meal crisis that had hit some parts of Copperbelt.
Agriculture and Livestock Minister Emmanuel Chenda who earlier held a closed door meeting with millers in Kitwe today told journalists that the two parties have resolved the problems that had led to the current short supply of mealie-meal on the market.
Mr Chenda said all the millers operating in the province had assured government that they will immediately normalize their mealie-meal production and supply on the local market.
He said the millers have assured government that the supply of the staple food will normalize by Tuesday next week.
He added that all the millers that attended the meeting have assured government that they have enough stocks of maize to satisfy the current mealie-meal demand on the copperbelt.
The millers that attended the meeting included Antelope Milling Company, Olympic Milling, Mpongwe and H.M Milling.
And Mr Chenda said government will not succumb to the arm –twisting tricks by millers aimed at coercing government to off-load on the market the maize stocks held by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
He said government will off- load the maize held by FRA at an appropriate time because the maize is being kept for strategic planning in an effort to ensure food security in the country.
The minister observed that it was unjustified for miller to claim that they had no maize for them to supply sufficient mealie-meal on the market when they also bought maize from farmers in the maize buying season which has just closed.
And the minister said government will ensure that the millers that want to export mealie-meal to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo first satisfy the local demand before they can export.
And representatives from all the four milling companies that attended the closed door meeting with the Minister of Agriculture also told journalists that they have enough stocks of maize to enable them produce enough mealie-meal to off-set the shortage.
Meanwhile Mr Chenda has announced that farmers from Lufwanyama and Kalulushi who have not been paid by FRA for the maize they supplied to the agency have today started getting their money following the meeting he had yesterday with the management of participating banks.
He said the logistical problems that had caused the delay in paying the farmers have been sorted out.
Yesterday Mr Chenda announced that government bought maize worth K99 billion from farmers on the Copperbelt and has so far released K100 billion for the payment of the farmers.
ZANIS
So what was the problem that led to this panic buying?
millers are all foreigners who think that they can dictate matters as they wish. time this govt. showed them who the boss is. next should be bakeries. they are also funny characters.
Good move expected from any concerned Govt.We are busy talking to have more Zambians venture into milling and maize trading for the sole benefit of the local Zambian,Govt take charge and closely monitor all millers…
foolishness all around from greedy *****s
wonder what english word the minister was pronouncing with that mouth orientation…!
#1 Mpongwe milling and two other milling co were down.The other millers had small supply for the local market while the larger stock was for orders from DRC, then word went round that there will be a shortage ,consumers panicked when buying. All this was to the advantage of the miller due to demand and supply the price went up as consumers stocked up.All millers are up and running with some restriction on export the local market will soon flood and price normalize… congratulations GRZ
Common guys…let this this not be like in the ministry of health, with 3 ministers and it had to take the head of state to resolve a water problem at UTH. Sort it out! Embarrassing if you ask me. We must be discussing electric and bullet trains now that we have Prof. Chirwa at ZRL. Not ati ubunga bwapwa pa Zed. Kekekekekekeke, awe mwe……….
ha ha ha ha ha
Bwana Chikwanda GG, you misunderstood the 3 ministers point. Minister of local Govt blamed Zesco which is under ministry of energy. Then there was ministry of Health who was blamed for not reacting quick enough or not reacting at all
Kukonda ma privatisations naimwe…winangu azacita na privatise mukazi wake na bana.
you ve just failed chaps..resign we put serious people..
yemwe mukumuuzayo ndani? citsilu cikagula ufa pa nyumba cimayembekezela ana ayamikile. Only in wonderland are babies expected to thank their mothers for breastmilk. shame on you. Ba mwansakabinga imwe.
Ba PF be on top of things otherwise these guys the private sector will continue blackmailing you. Be pro active. The next wave of economic turmoil will be the backery industry. be on top of these guys in this industry as well.Â
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.Â
Tinazigoga goverment.
MY ADVISE TO ALL THE MINISTERS IS THAT IDENTIFY STRATEGIC SERVICES IN YOUR MINISTRIES AND PHYSICALLY KEEP INSPECTING THEM REGULARLY AND FREQUENTLY LIKE YOUR BOSS DOES. EG, HE WENT TO INSPECT THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION INCOGNITO. IF HE HAD TAKEN IT FOR GRANTED THE BECAUSE HE’S SATA AND PEOPLE FEAR HIM- HE WOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN GIVEN A RUDE SHOCK. AFTER 1 YEAR HE WOULD HAVE FOUND THAT THAT IS WHEN THEY ARE CLEARING THE BUSH TO SET UP CAMP AND NOTHING ELSE. TO THE MILLERS- NOW CONSUMERS KNOW THAT ACTUALLY IT WAS YOUR FAULT. BE CAREFUL NEXT THERE’S A SHORTAGE OF ANY COMMODITY YOU MAY ALSO GET A SHOCK OF YOUR LIFE. CONSUMERS MAY COME TO LOOT AND BURN YOUR FACTORIES. I AM NOT INCITING ANY1 BUT THAT’S WHAT MAY HAPPEN IN FUTURE KNOWING THAT YOU MIND MORE ON EXPORTS THAN SATISFYING LOCAL CONSUMERS.
SO MILLERS BE CAREFUL. AND GOVT BE CAREFUL TOO. MILLERS DON’T SEEM TO CARE ABOUT YOUR POVERTY ALLEVIATION MISSION. THEY WILL SABOTAGE YOU DON’T HAVE A FIRM GRIP ON SOME OF THESE SERVICES. MIND YOU THE EMPLOYERS FEDERATION JUST LOST A MINIMUM WAGE APPEAL. BEHIND THE SCENE SOME OR ALL OF THEM GATHERED TO DISCUSS HOW TO FIX THE GOVT. MAYBE THE NEXT SHORTAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN COOKING OIL AND THEN OTHER COMMODITIES. BECAUSE ALREADY THERE WAS FUEL SHORTAGE AND WATER (UTH). I WONDER IF THESE ARE JUST COINCIDENCES. WAKE UP MINISTERS. BEPRO-ACTIVE LIKE YOUR BOSS, MICHAEL SATA.
“government bought maize worth K99 billion from farmers on the Copperbelt and has so far released K100 billion for the payment of the farmers.” so where are they going to take the 1billion surplus? they will put it in there pockets. there is corruption here.
A meeting with millers being described as ‘sorting the crisis’?
What are the practical steps that the minister made?
Who cares if they bought so much billion worth of maize if the mealie meal is not on the shelves?
If this was in America, the millers and everyone involved would be facing huge fines for anti-competitive practices.
I urge the customers or rather consumers to Loot and burn the milling companies should they be funny to withhold production. Take the SA route they’ want to frustrate the public by exporting rather than selling locally first.
These millers should have been thrown in prison for sabotage. Â
@ #5  The Honourable Minister should have been pronouncing the word production (the George Kunda way) – Milaz havuu agridi to riziumu pulodakiSHONI! :d
Is this spike in demand of maize / mealie meal in the DR Congo due to the unrest caused by M23 rebels?
I do not think we should be too hasty in blaming government for a war and its effects that Sata et al have no control over.