The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) last week wrote to the Ministry of Agriculture to intervene over the FRA’s decision to maintain the K60 price.
Before writing to the Ministry of Agriculture, ZNFU had requested the agency to consider adjusting the price upwards for the benefit of farmers.
ZNFU argued that the K60 set by FRA was below the cost of producing maize.
After the meeting held a week ago, FRA issued a statement in which it maintained that it will buy maize from farmers at K60 for a 50kg bag because the price is determined by market forces.
And Mr Shawa said his office will respect FRA’s decision to maintain the price at which it will buy maize.
He said in an interview on Monday that the FRA was given powers to determine a favourable price at which it is ready to buy maize this marketing season.
“FRA was given the authority to determine the price at which it would buy maize, and we [Ministry of Agriculture] will go by that stance.
“We cannot start contradicting what our institution [FRA] has said,” Mr Shawa said.
“They [ZNFU] went to FRA and the agency responded and we [Ministry of Agriculture] will stick to that [response from FRA],” he said.
Zambia will never diversify into the Agricultural sector as long as the Minister of Agriculture Ms Dora Siliya continue with her antagonist stand towards the Zambia National Union of Farmers…
But this PS Shawa has been in the Ministry for too long, these are the ones that have destroyed confidence in govt! You served in MMD since Chiluba, in LP’s, Rupiahs, in Satas and now the current govt! You have nothing to offer baba just leave. You say farmers can export maize realistically how is a Lufwanyama farmer with 100bags going to afford the trip to Lusaka for an export permit? You have failed to provide any guidance on the steps to exporting! You and, Dollar Siliya will go down in history as the ones to destroy agriculture in Zambia- you stand against what the Late Great MCS stood for!
Zimbabwe is offering to its farmers an equivalent of ZMW190.00 / 50kg and Malawi ZMW120.00
The GOVT pronouncement to diversify agriculture is just rehitoric above all a mockery to the poor ZAMBIAN farmers.PF has failed to run to this country.