Delay in announcing maize floor price hurting farmer – JCTR

The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) says government’s delay in announcing the maize floor price is hurting small scale farmers.

JCTR Director Fr Leonard Chiti has since appealed to government take into consideration the interest of the farmers and announce the floor price.

He says the delay to announce the maize floor price shows lack of concern by the government for small scale farmers.

Fr Chiti notes that not all small scale farmers are able to bargain for better prices.

Fr. Chiti notes that the delay will only contribute to the increase in the levels of poverty in the country as most of the small scale farmers depend on the income from their maize sales to the Food Reserve Agency.

He adds that government is punishing the small scale farmers who depend on the FRA to but their maize.

Fr. Chiti has however, urged the farmers to continue selling their maize to private buyers even as they cry to government to announce the floor price.