THE FOOD RESERVE AGENCY TO PURCHASE WHITE MAIZE AT K150 PER 50 KG BAG, WITH SOYA BEANS PEGGED AT K500
… anticipates that it’s prices shall not disadvantage the private sector who are expected to purchase the larger share of the 3.6 million metric tonnes of maize.*
Lusaka .. Monday, May, 31, 2021
The Food Reserve Agency FRA has announced that it will purchase a 50 kg bag of white maize at K150 in the 2021/ 2022 crop marketing season.
FRA Board Chairperson Kelvin Hambwezya told journalists in Lusaka that the agency will also purchase a 50 kg bag of soya beans at K500 and 40 kg of paddy rice at K200.
Mr. Hambwezya said the FRA purchasing price of white Maize has increased by 40 percent from the previous crop marketing season and farmers will be paid as soon as they deliver the commodity to FRA.
He said the agency anticipates that its prices will not disadvantage the private sector who are expected to purchase the larger share of the 3.6 million metric tonnes of maize.
” Please note that these are not floor prices but rather FRA prices under the principle of willing seller and willing buyer,” Mr. Hambwezya said.
” In setting these crop prices for 2021, the agency expects accrued benefits to the farmers in that they will be provided with readily available market access closer to their localities through the 1200 satellite depots to be established country wide. Farmers will get a reward for their labour which will entail more money in their pockets,” He said.
And Mr. Hambwezya said with the FRA prices, there will be stimulation and growth of rural economies for the farmers as well as local service providers such as transporters.
Meanwhile, Mr.Hambwezya said with this year’s bumper harvest and in line with government policy, millers are being encouraged to buy sufficient stocks of their own from the farmers to sustain their milling business.
” FRA will not offload maize from the strategic grain reserves which ideally is meant for national emergencies as prescribed in the FRA act,” Mr. Hambwezya said.