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FRA purchases 750,000 metric tonnes of maize - Mwanaumo

FRA purchases 750,000 metric tonnes of maize - Mwanaumo
By Florence Bupe in Mumbwa
Tue 19 Oct. 2010, 14:50 CAT

THE Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has so far purchased over 750,000 metric tonnes of maize countrywide valued at K983 billion kwacha. During a tour of storage sheds in Mumbwa district yesterday, FRA executive director Dr Anthony Mwanaumo said the agency had accelerated maize purchases in view of the nearing closure of the maize marketing season.

"As at last Friday, we had purchased 756,011 metric tonnes of maize valued at K983 billion and we have so far paid K679.9 billion. We have also bought 1,199 metric tonnes of rice valued K1.8 billion, all of which has been paid," he said.

Dr Mwanaumo also lamented the challenges being faced in storing maize bought from the farmers.

He said the agency still did not have the capacity to store the high tonnage of maize that the country had recorded.

Dr Mwanaumo, however, assured that FRA was instituting measures to ensure that maize grain was secured before the rains spread.

The 2010 crop marketing season will be officially closed on October 31 following a one month extension from the September 30 annual closing date.

And Dr Mwanaumo has disclosed that significant progress had been made in securing export markets for Zambian maize. Dr Mwanaumo said the agency had received inquiries from Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Namibia.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) has predicted increased rainfall activity towards the end of this month.

ZMD chief meteorological office Chizgange Ngwira said in an interview that most parts of North Western, Western and Luapula provinces had over the last few days recorded significant rainfall activities.

Labels: ANTHONY MWANAUMO, FRA, METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT

posted by MrK @ 3:41 PM