Participation of private maize buyers leads to FRA buying less maize

Food Reserve Agency FRA Executive Director Chola Kafwabulula has acknowledged that the participation of private buyers in the marketing of maize has led to low purchases in some depots in Eastern Province.
Mr Kafwabulula says FRA has recorded lower purchases in border areas of the province where some farmers sold their maize to private buyers especially in neighbouring countries.
He also explained that some private buyers started buying the grain before the opening of the marketing season.
Mr Kafwabulula however, stated that this will not affect FRA purchases whose initial target was 500,000 metric tonnes.
He says FRA may buy up to 800,000 metric tonnes following a Presidential directive to procure all the maize that will be supplied by the farmers.
And Mr Kafwabulula noted that some of the challenges of inadequate sieves that were recorded in a few selected depots were due to the increased number of depots that were opened in this year’s marketing season.
The FRA executive director stated that a number of depots have been opened countrywide and that this is why each depot only has two sieves.
Mr Kafwabulula is in Eastern Province to inspect the marketing of maize and has so far inspected some maize depots in Petauke and Chipata districts.