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…
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…
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…
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) 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…
Input costs for commercial maize farmers in Zambia right now are running at about US$1 600/ha (K14 400/ha). At yields of 8t/ha (8 tons per hectare) and a price of US$200/t (K 1 800/t) or K90/bag the commercial farmer will just break even. It is a little more difficult to…
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 retail price of maize in Zambia has dropped from K120/25kg [K4 800/ton] to K73/25kg [K2 920/ton] for white maize, and from K90/25kg [K3 600/ton] to K67/25kg [K2 680/ton] for yellow (brown) maize. President of the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) Andrew Chintala said the price drop was due to…
Zambian and foreign maize buyers are locked in a price war following liberal pricing and the opening up of export markets by government. Local media are reporting that so intense is the price war that the state-owned grain buying firm, the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), also faces fierce competition from…
This is you monthly update on southern African markets. ZIMBABWE Zimbabwean maize prices have been following a downward trend since December of 2016, and have continued with that trend in anticipation of the higher maize crop. For the month of May 2017, prices declined by 8.2% compared to April of…
An agricultural economist says it is unlikely that mealie-meal prices will drop as a result of the expected bumper harvest. The expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the 75% increase in power tariffs negated any benefits consumers would have gotten. Zambia expects to harvest 3.6 million tons of…
Private buyers have invaded rural districts and are buying maize from desperate smallholder farmers for as low as K50 per 50kg bag. The so-called “briefcase” buyers want to cash in before government sets the floor price for the crop whose marketing season opens in a fortnight. “Farmers are desperate and…
The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) told farmers to brace for poor maize prices. According to ZNFU, government interference in maize marketing, coupled with indirect taxes, are contributing to expected depressed grain prices. The warning comes amidst reports of farmers in some parts of Zambia selling maize for as low…
A massive proposed price hike by the national power company Zesco, will further escalate mealie-meal prices, says the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ). Andrew Chintala, MAZ president, said ZESCO’s proposed 75% increase will ultimately result in astronomical prices for mealie-meal. “The moment electricity goes up, there will be an increase…
The possibility of an oversupply of maize, as well as deflated prices, are looming just three months before the 2017 harvest starts. This prompted the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) to make a desperate plea to government to allow it to export a surplus of 23 000 tons of maize…
Mealie-meal prices are expected to drop by up to K15 per 25kg bag in the coming week. This after the conclusion of a government brokered maize deal with the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) and the Grain Traders Association of Zambia (GTAZ). Under the new deal…
Dora Siliya, Zambian minister of agriculture, has accused maize traders of running a cartel to keep the price of mealie-meal high. This, after a meeting on Thursday, at which the Ministry of Agriculture and the Grain Traders Association (GTA) failed to agree on a price reduction for the staple. Talks…
Amidst rising prices for mealie-meal, the Zambian government has reiterated that the maize export ban would remain in force. Special Assistant to President Edgar Lungu for Press and Public Relations, Amos Chanda, said the continued ban was consistent with the ongoing discussions between the government, the Millers Association of Zambia…
Maize farmers can expect higher than average prices for their harvest at the start of the 2016 marketing season, attributed mainly to increased production costs and strong regional demand for Zambian maize. According to Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSN) run by USAID, traders from across the board were already…