Speaking during the interactive forum in Lusaka today, the Petauke lawmaker said that FRA and Private storage capacity are suffocated cause the country had a bumper harvest.
“We are the biggest producer of non genetic maize in the region. Our total consumption of maize as a country is 1.8million metric tonnes. Last year we produced 2.8million metric tonnes. This year we have unprecedented production of 3.8 million”, Said Hon Siliya
She further clarified that though we had an excess of maize stock in the country government had to ban maize export in the interest of citizens to prevent food security threat.
“We had sufficient maize. 2.8 million against our demand of 1.8million but why the ban?
Zambia was sitting in the middle of total hunger. We lost over a million metric tones in 2months to our neighbours who were in need”
She was however, happy that the ban had been lifted as banning erodes confidence.
Ms Silya further clarified that the 10% surcharge which was later introduced was not as result of the ban but a long term measure. She emphasized that agriculture must be looked at as a business which should create jobs for the citizens.
Good job Dora. The President should allow to have your wedding at State House.
Do not change your mind on the 10% surcharge. The country needs that money. It can be used to subsidize the price of mealie meal so it can be cheaper to the consumer. Some people are going behind you asking the great leader to remove the surcharge. Don’t back down. Put your foot down. Every Zambian worked hard to realize the bumper harvest, you shouldn’t let a few people enjoy the cake.
Dora will you Marry me?
She stinks of corruption from the sole of her feet to the crown of her head. The maize gate scandal still reeks from her body.
“We lost some metric tonnes to our neighbours due to their need”. She should just resign! If Zambians will forget this matter then the word accountability does not exist in Zambia
Yet the price of mealie meal won’t go down.
60% of Maize will go to waste.
she should pay back what she has stolen from us poor Zambians…B.I.T.C.H
Its a worry! Dora Siliti can’t be trusted with over 3.6 millions metric tonnes of Maize.
With lack of accountability, Siliti will will bundle up the 3.6 millions metric tonnes of Maize off to Malavi~Another Maize gate scandal in the making by PF through Siliti.
How much is mealie meal today after Siliti & Visionless had a “fruitful meeting with the millers”~LT reported in January 2017?
The Skeleton Key
~206~
Correction. Adulterous Agriculture Minister.
Correction. Adulterous Agriculture Minister.
There should be a ban on Dora’s fake anti poor policies. Dora and Mutati are you two chaps going to farm this coming season? If farming should be taken as a business then you understand the basic profit and loss concept? Why are you making it so hard for small scale farmers to make a profit in farming??? The solution is simple! Allow farmers to export their produce, let FRA secure what is required- Millers should buy from FRA and commercial farmers only, let commercial farmers export after they meet the quota from millers. Priority to Zambian small scale farmers to export so that forex comes back to Zambia, reduce that 10percent export tax or remove it. Otherwise most small scale farmers will not want to farm this coming season!
@1. Is Thinking In The Lines Of These Same Rich Ministers.
Dora Is Saying The Country Has Produced 3.6million Tonnes. Out Of Which, They Country Will Be Expected To Consume 1.8 Million Tonnes. And FRA Will Buy 500,000 Metric Tonnes For Food Security. Now Where Are The Farmers Going To Take The Rest. Everyday We See Farmers Selling The Crop To Vendors And Briefcase Buyers At Insulting Prices Of Lower Than K30 Per 50kg Bag. Let Them Export So That They Find Better Prices. It Seems Pipo Who Make Alot Of Money Are The Millers And Vendors. Because In Your Deals Small Scale Farmers Are Always Vulnerable. So Kindly Remove The 10% Duty To Let Farmers Export The Crop To Areas Where Its In High Demand So That They Earn Profit For Their Hard Earned Produce. Our Farmers Are Always Hardworking But I…
Crappy ! Lowest of the Low with Fake news
So has Zimbabwe
Congratulations Zambian farmers and government for the timely support. Government through FRA now need to invest in storage facilities that will reduce wastage. The private sector too needs to invest in storage facilities so that they can mop excess maiize on the market and export it at their will; This also requires GRZ to formulate duty and tax free incentives for private sector who are importing such equipment.
The Minister is not being sincere. The farmers have not finished their harvests yet; where is she getting these figures from? the maize has still got alot of moisture in it;
There is scientific assessment which is accurate. When they tell you to go to school you hide and now want to dispute for the sake of it.
What the FRA market rate? We need to find cost effective ways of producing our maize. ZIM now has a lot of maize and has banned imports. For to compete in the region our method of production in the agri sector should be world class.
Further must grow our population to have 5 children per household.
Zambia remains a hungry nation with stunted children, what a shame maize promote other food. Nshima is just too much, let it be an alternative maweeeee.
Sell everything to your relatives in Malawi Dora the chief justice will protect you
Dora Siliya and FRA Management should be ashamed of themselves to begin to boost about the bumper harvest.To start with transporters have not been paid since the last marketing season todate.While its foolish of for GOVT to buy maize and expect unpaid transporters to mop up the produce yet not paid one day the maize will go to waste when local small transporters will boycott to carry out the exercise.We urge the Finance Minister to release funds immediately so that we are paid.This PF GOVT seem to do things like the leadership is confused transporters during crop marketing season are very important partners despite we are overlooked once we render our services and end up being mistreated when it comes to payments.Concerned unpaid transporters nation wide
Brother please inform us unscientific pipo the how the scientific assessment is calculated.
When are announce the price for grains (maize)?
The first priority must always be that every Zambian is well fed, to sustain them in their work. The next priority is to make education available to whoever wants it, so that the nation has the knowledge to succeed. Finally, economic development rests on the shoulders of the small scale entrepreneur, so create economic conditions so that they prosper. These are the things that really matter to Zambia: keep your eyes on these three things and you don’t need to worry so much about the big men in suits with their multi-million dollar deals.