THE Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has bought 198,630 tonnes of maize at a cost of K258.2 billion during the 2009/2010 marketing season.
The agency has also assured the nation that all the maize stocks are in safe storage despite the heavy rain experienced in recent weeks.
FRA public relations officer Mwamba Siame said in an interview yesterday the agency also bought 803 tonnes of paddy rice at K1, 204,500,000 in the 2009 purchasing period of the 2009/2010 marketing season.
This follows a comprehensive verification of figures from purchase locations across the country.
She said all the money for the farmers who supplied their maize by the close of the season had been disbursed.
Ms Siame said the increased purchase rates were observed during the extension periods of buying the grain.
She said purchases for maize increased by 81,525 tonnes. Rice purchases increased by 560 tonnes.
The purchasing period normally runs from June 1 to September 30 for maize and June 1 to October 31 for rice.
Northern Province recorded the highest purchases, with more than 54,385.85 tonnes, representing 25.2 per cent, followed by Eastern Province, with 39,087.05 tonnes, translating into 19.2 per cent. In the third place was Southern Province at 34,652.05 tonnes.
The fourth highest was Central Province at 18, 492.20 tonnes, and Luapula Province, whose volume was 16,745.90 tonnes.
Lusaka Province recorded purchases of 15,082.40 tonnes, representing 7.2 per cent.
Ms Siame said North-Western Province recorded 9,834.40 tonnes and Copperbelt Province sold 8,208 tonnes. Western Province recorded 1,900.20 tonnes at 0.88 per cent.
She said the season was successful and farmer’s payments were made within the stipulated 10 days.
And Ms Siame said that the agency had sold 4,545 tonnes of maize (91,000 x 50 kg bags) at K70, 000 to the market and rural communities.
The collaboration between the district commissioners’ offices and FRA had helped to identify needy areas in the provinces.
Ms Siame said the agency had enough maize to last up to the harvest season in April.
She assured the nation that all maize stocks were in safe storage despite the heavy rain experienced recently.
Meanwhile, National Milling Corporation (NMC) has closed its Kabwe branch due to lack of maize stocks from small-scale farmers in Central Province.
NMC managing director Peter Cottan confirmed the closure in an interview yesterday and explained that the move was temporary.
He said workers from the Kabwe plant had been paid their full benefits according to the Labour Act, and that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and all relevant organs had been notified of the move.
[Times of Zambia]
“Dr Chituwo said at a press briefing in Lusaka today that the food balance sheet shows that the total maize required for human consumption amounts to 1,263,098 metric tones.” Well, that was last year!
Now these figures represent what was bought by FRA, can someone ask the Minister in Parliament what exactly was produced?
According No. 1 quoting Dr Chituwo, if the consumption of maize was 1,263,098 tonnes last year on assumption that consumption is almost the same this year, then according to the purchases of FRA i.e., 198,630 tonnes then their is a deficit of 1, 064,468 tonnes. How is this deficit going to be overcome?
Interesting to note that Northern Province produces the largest amount of grain. Are there any corresponding milling companies in the province or do they have to transport the grain to Lusaka and CB? What effect does it have on the price of mealie meal? Also interesting to note that CB is among the lowest producers of grain but its population is the highest in the country. LT, please be analytical and give us more information on the stories that you carry out.
spelling correction ‘their’ is supposed to be there (para 1, line 3)