Maravi

Lack of storage a challenge to procurement of maize

Lack of storage a challenge to procurement of maize
By Mwala Kalaluka in Mbala
Thu 05 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT

INADEQUATE storage facilities have posed a challenge to the government's plans to procure about 280,000 by 50kg bags of maize from small-scale farmers in Mbala, district commissioner Lightwell Chongo has said.

Chongo told journalists on Tuesday that the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) had so far spent about K20 billion out of the K22 billion that was earmarked for buying maize in Mbala.

"We have had a good marketing season this year," he said.

Chongo said Mbala had the highest maize harvest in the region this season.

He said the crop forecast for the last farming season was 500, 000 by 50kg bags of maize in respect of Mbala.

"The K2 billion on top is the one we are expected to spend to rake in the maize before we close the program," he said. "Government has bought close to 270,000 by 50kg of maize."

Chongo said the only challenge in the maize buying exercise was the lack of adequate storage facilities for maize.

"Storage facilities are very limited...we are shipping directly into Kasama to avoid that problem of storage," Chongo said. "We do not have enough. In the past two seasons we have been relying on ZAF to help us store the maize."

Chongo said the rest of the maize that could not be contained in the storage sheds were, as a temporal measure, covered with tarpaulins.

On the health sector, Chongo said the withdrawal of funding to the sector by some donors had mostly affected funding to operations for health establishments in the district.

"The only effect that I would say was noticeable was in terms of operational funds. There was a drop but otherwise we were able to pull through in terms of drugs but it was just a matter of the hospitals re-adjusting," he said.

Chongo said the government had disbursed K200 million to upgrade Mbala General Hospital.
Chongo said Cabinet office had sent about K530 million to help in the establishment of an IV Fluid plant at Mbala Hospital.

"It is quite expensive because everyone has to travel to Lusaka to get these. A lot of progress has been made," Chongo said.

However, Chongo said the biggest investment that Mbala had received from the government was towards the education sector and he pegged the amount to around K3 billion.

And Chongo said the erratic fuel situation had hit Mbala badly.

"We still have diesel but we have run out of petrol. Traders have seen an opportunity to trade in diesel and so we have seen a lot of diesel that is coming across," he said.

"Most of the trucks you find between Nakonde and Mbala are carrying diesel. The reason they are not carrying petrol is because it is a bit risky. There is petrol on the black market...but there are health risks in terms of safety as they move the diesel from Tanzania."

Chongo also bemoaned the low levels of private sector investment in Mbala district.

Labels: FRA, MAIZE, SILOS, STORAGE

posted by MrK @ 6:30 AM