FRA in 99 million Kwacha debt for maize bought from farmers in Eastern Province

Government owes farmers who sold maize to FRA, the Food Reserve Agency in Eastern Province about 99.1 million Kwacha.
Provincial Agricultural Coordinator, Obvious Kabinda has confirmed to Breeze News.
Dr. Kabinda says that this is from about 1.5 million bags of maize, which the agency has bought from farmers since the exercise opened.
He says that government has also paid about 14.1 million Kwacha to the farmers.
Dr. Kabinda says that as of 10 September, government had about 925,000 Kwacha balance of money received for payment to farmers.
He says that government has indicated that it will release more money to Eastern Province so that farmers are paid quickly.
Meanwhile Dr. Kabinda says that the Ministry of Agriculture will not bow down to livestock farmers that have shunned livestock centres because the facilities were not built close to their homes.
He says that he is aware that some influential farmers were trying to force the Ministry of Agriculture to build livestock centres close to their houses instead of centrally located places.