Maravi

‘Maize marketing system in Kalomo chaotic’

‘Maize marketing system in Kalomo chaotic’
By Nicholas Mwale in Kalomo
Thu 13 May 2010, 02:50 CAT

KALOMO acting district commissioner Justus Phiri has described the maize marketing system in Kalomo as chaotic due to exploitative prices offered by most briefcase buyers.

Phiri told the National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS) in an interview that small-scale farmers were not benefiting anything from their maize which was being bought at K650 per kg and about K32,500 per 50kg bag.

"Kalomo is one of the districts with high yields. There is usually little storage space for the yields. This is why the government decided to put up the shed with the capacity of 450,000 by 50 kg bags, which is being constructed by a Chinese contractor," he explained.

"But right now, the maize market situation is chaotic in the district because farmers are not benefiting anything. They are being exploited by the briefcase dealers who are buying their produce at very low prices."

Phiri said farmers had no option but to sell their maize at very low prices because they needed agent money to address their immediate problems such as sending their children to school.

Labels: JUSTUS PHIRI, MAIZE

posted by MrK @ 3:56 PM