The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) owes K600 million to farmers who supplied it with maize during this year’s marketing season, said FRA executive director, Chola Kafwabulula. Kafwabulula said the agency has already paid out K103 million and expects treasury to pay the balance soon. FRA exceeded its target of 500…
There is growing concern that rain will soak more than 80 000 tons of maize, while a payment stand-off between transporters and the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) continues. The FRA owes transporters K200 million. They have since parked their trucks, demanding payment. “We are particularly troubled by reports of transporters…
Debt of K200 million owed by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to transporters has crippled maize haulage in parts of Zambia, raising concerns about securing the country’s grain reserve before the rain starts. FRA also owes farmers K370 million for the maize it has so far bought. “I can assure…
The World Bank has endorsed Zambia’s agricultural progress and urged for more investment to accelerate gains. Country manager Ina-Marlene Ruthenberg said despite progress, there is still a need for increased investment in the agriculture sector to reduce poverty. “Agriculture is a significant sector that needs concerted support to not only…
With only a week before the close of the maize marketing season, Zambian farmers are selling their crop in panic. This while the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) said it won’t extend grain buying beyond the end of the month, when the marketing season closes. A survey conducted by Africanfarming.com showed…
Zambian President Edgar Lungu says he will not dictate the review of the current price of K60/50kg being offered by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for white maize, but will consult his cabinet to come up with an amicable solution. “I have heard the cry of stakeholders over the price of maize…
While the maize price stand-off rages, the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has only managed to buy 10% of its targeted 500 000 tons of maize, said a source within the agency. This is as the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) intensified calls on farmers to hold back their crop. Last…
The maize pricing stand-off has degenerated into a war of words between the Food Reserve Agency’s (FRA) Executive Director Chola Kafwabulula and Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) President Jervis Zimba. Reacting to Zimba calling FRA’s price offer of K60/50kg for white maize a “swindle”, Kafwabulula is now threatening to sue…
Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) president Jervis Zimba is cautioning that farmers will dump maize cultivation in the next farming season. His warning comes as the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) insists that its offer of K60/50kg for maize is final. “This will have dire consequences for national food security as…
Zambia’s Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) says the system of market-based pricing adopted by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will create a more stable and sustainable grain market. “There is no doubt that the move towards market-based pricing by FRA will attract a lot of attention and resistance from…
Maize price negotiations between the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) have broken down with the union abandoning talks to pursue direct discussions with the Ministry of Agriculture. A reliable source told Africanfarming.com that ZNFU at the weekend decided to talk to government directly, after…
Maize price negotiations between the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) and Food Reserve Agency (FRA) have stalled, say sources close to the talks. Meanwhile the grain buying exercise by FRA was still running at a slow pace. According to the sources, lengthy negotiations took place over the weekend but the…
The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has issued an ultimatum to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to meet farmers over the price of maize. This is as the farmers’ union reiterated its call to farmers to hold back from selling maize to FRA. The state-owned grain buying agency has set…
The buying of maize by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in Zambia took off to a slow start with maize farmers holding back their crop. It is also reported that farmers are forming cooperatives for the purpose of seeking export markets. Several farmers told Africanfarming.com that they have heeded a call…
Zambia’s tumultuous maize marketing season has taken a new twist with the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) urging farmers to hold back their crop. This followed the price offer of k60/50kg by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). Following the FRA, there has been national outrage among farmers and stakeholders in…
President Edgar Lungu has weighed in on the backlash over the maize price offer of K60/50kg, urging buyers and sellers to reach a mutually beneficial outcome. Angry farmers have already garnered much sympathy, including from millers who accuse the FRA of being stingy. “There should be a bargaining process so…
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) today in Lusaka announced it will buy maize from farmers at K60 for 50kg. The price offer, flying in the face of the more than K85/50kg government promised last week, provoked sharp reaction from the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU). At the same briefing, FRA…
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) says it will earn US$13 million from the export of surplus maize from the 2016 farming season. FRA Executive Director Chola Kafwabulula said the agency would earn the money for facilitating the transaction of exporting 100,000 tons of maize to East Africa. According to FRA,…
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will announce its price offer to maize producers next week, the Zambian government said. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, this year’s maize price offer by FRA will be higher than last year’s K85 for 50kg. This follows concerns by producers who allege FRA’s silence…
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will start buying maize on September 1, but the agency is yet to announce the price it will offer. Government has meanwhile cautioned farmers against so-called panic sales. Addressing the parliamentary committee on agriculture, fisheries and livestock, FRA Executive Director Chola Kafwabulula said the September…
The Zambian government has reversed the 10% export duty on raw maize following an outcry from farmers. The duty was ostensibly imposed to encourage value addition and job creation. Farmers relentlessly fought against the tax, describing it as a major policy inconsistency that will discourage increased grain productivity. Zambian National…
President Edgar Lungu has challenged farmers to produce more to get a waiver on the 10% maize export duty. “We introduced the export tax on maize exports to preserve food security and not as a measure of revenue collection. Therefore, farmers must invest heavily to produce more maize for local…
The Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) has proposed K75/50kg as the floor price for maize in this year’s marketing season. Government is still mute on the issue. MAZ president Andrew Chintatala said their proposal, which is K5 less than last year’s price, must pass on the benefit of the bumper…
Opposition leaders have urged government to intervene in maize marketing. They say leaving it to free market forces will harm smallholder farmers. The crop marketing season opened on June 1, but there has been no word from government on the floor price the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will pay for…