Maravi

ZNFU calls on govt to release maize marketing funds in time

ZNFU calls on govt to release maize marketing funds in time
By Florence Bupe
Wed 04 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT

THE Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has called on the government to release funds for the next maize marketing season in time to prevent panic among small-scale farmers.

In an interview, ZNFU president Jervis Zimba said it was imperative for the government to ensure that funds were availed to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) on time to effectively carry out the crop-buying exercise in the future seasons.

“It is our hope that FRA will in the next season get funding on time to prevent panic among our farmers, and also as a way of protecting our small-scale farmers from being exploited by briefcase buyers,” he said.

Zimba said briefcase buyers were not helping farmers in terms of growth because they usually offer less than the government floor price, making reinvestment in agriculture difficult.

He urged the government to consider adjusting upwards the allocation to the maize buying exercise from the stated K100 billion, adding that the country was likely to record higher harvest levels against this year’s 1.9 million metric tonnes of maize.
FRA has so far purchased about 185,000 metric tonnes of maize from small-scale farmers across the country at a value of K240 billion.

Zimba warned that the continued allocation of inadequate funds to FRA could result in failure by the agency to meet the strategic food reserve requirements.
Zimba further bemoaned the high production costs in the agriculture sector, explaining that although fertiliser prices were subsidised, the quantities were inadequate and not supportive of national food security efforts.

“The reduced allocation of fertiliser to farmers in terms of quantities will pose very big challenges for most of our farmers, which may ultimately result in reduced production. We need a total review of the input support programme to favour high productivity,” said Zimba.

FRA last week announced the second extension of the crop marketing season from October 31 to November 14.
The annual crop-buying season runs from June 1 to September 30.

Labels: JERVIS ZIMBA, MAIZE, ZNFU

posted by MrK @ 4:58 AM