MEALIE MEAL PRICE SHOCKER
...Retailers are selling to make super profits beyond the cost of maize
MANY retailers are selling mealie meal at exploitative prices, now minister of Agriculture Michael Katambo has asked millers to publicise recommended prices to stop the scourge.
He urged millers to publicise the prices at which they were selling mealie meal so that members of the public could have a clear view of at how much retailers were buying the commodity.
Mr Katambo said some retailers were trying to jump on the situation and increase the prices of the commodity, which was unfortunate.
“Millers should publicise the prices at which they are selling mealie meal, be it roller meal or breakfast for the citizenly and customers to know the price retailers are buying the commodity.
And Mr Katambo says Government has no intentions of introducing price controls on maize as claimed by the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU).
He said in an interview yesterday maize price controls were against the Patriotic Front (PF) government’s policies.
Mr Katambo said Zambia was a liberalised economy in which farmers were free to sell their produce where they found a good price. ZNFU president Jervis Zimba on Sunday accused Government of reintroducing price controls on the maize market by imposing the price of K130 for a 50 kilogram bag of maize on stock feed producers, millers and traders.
But Mr Katambo said his ministry had called for a meeting with all key stakeholders following concerns on the increase in the prices of mealie meal and maize.
He said the purpose of the meeting was to nd out what the causes of the increase of the commodity and how to stabilise the prices for the bene t of Zambians.
Mr Katambo said during the engagement, stakeholders who were the millers, stock feed makers and grain traders willingly resolved to reduce the price from K185 for a 50 kilogram bag of maize to K130 after re ecting on how the increase was a ecting venerable citizens.
“ ere is no introduction on price controls. Government’s policy is that Zambia is a liberalised economy. If there has to be price controls, Cabinet has to come up with that decision and there has never been such a meeting,” Mr Katambo said.
As Minister of Agriculture he could not go and dictate to the people he had called for the meeting in good faith.
e stakeholders were just being patriotic and feeling for the poor Zambians.
“ at is why they decided to reduce the price from K185 to K130 per 50kg bag.
is did not come from me or Government as highlighted by ZNFU,” Mr Katambo said.