Govt Directs FRA To Buy Maize In Drought Hit Areas
By Lucky Phiri
Government has directed the Food Reserve Agency – FRA – to buy the available Maize on time from farmers in drought affected areas countrywide.
Agriculture Permanent Secretary YVONNE MPUNDU says this will prevent briefcase buyers from mopping up the Maize to be harvested in drought affected areas.
Ms MPUNDU says the government is concerned that most drought affected areas have recorded above 50 percent crop failure.
She says this is why her Ministry wants to ensure the FRA secures the little Maize which the farmers will harvest.
The Permanent Secretary said this when she toured various FRA sheds to check on Community Maize sales in Namwala District, Southern Province
She is impressed that Namwala District has enough Maize stock in the FRA sheds for the community.
Namwala District Commissioner EPHRAIM SHANDAVU says the District has over 26 thousand bags of Maize for community sales across various FRA sheds.
Mr. SHANDAVU says the Maize stock is enough to sustain the people in all the 16 wards of the District.
Source Link: https://www.znbc.co.zm/news/govt-directs-fra-to-buy-maize-in-drought-hit-areas/
