ANGRY FARMERS PRESSURE GOVT …

No market for 42, 000 tonnes

If allowed to export the farmers would get a better price for their crop and recoup the costs of producing winter maize which are high. Selling their maize locally would entail heavy losses for the farmers.

Zambian National Farmers Union (ZNFU) president, Jervis Zimba has called on President Edgar Lungu to intervene because the farmers were stuck with the 42, 000 tonnes of maize which they could not sell locally because they would make losses.

“Early maize is produced at a high cost. If farmers do not find an export market soon, they will be in trouble with the banks because the financial institutions will soon be closing the books on all the farmers who have failed to pay for loans,” Mr Zimba said.

Meanwhile, the Small-Scale Farmers for Development Agency (SAFADA) has urged Government to have an audience with the farmers over the matter because if left unresolved, it would discourage farmers from growing maize.

SAFADA executive director, Boyd Moobwe, who confirmed that farmers were still stuck with the maize, said the plight of farmers should be heard because they invested heavily and should therefore recover their money.

Mr Moobwe urged Government to come up with a better price for the 42, 000 tonnes of maize that the farmers were stuck with as the last option.

“The government should have an audience with the farmers to iron this issue because this will discourage farmers from growing maize. If it so happens that the government asks them again, they will refuse due to this poor arrangement,” he said.

When contacted for a comment, Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary, Songowayo Zyambo, said Government had finalised everything involving the early maize contract with ZNFU.