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FRA has started offloading maize to Chimsoro and other milling companies in central province
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has started offloading maize to Chimsoro and other milling companies in central province at a subsidized cost of K1, 700 per metric ton.
According to the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) Weekly Brief made available to QFM News today, the move is meant to curb high mealie meal prices.
This information came to light during Kapiri Mposhi District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) meeting held this week.
The meeting heard from FRA that currently a total of 4, 575 tons has already been offloaded to millers and a further 130 tons has been reserved for the District Management Mitigation Unit (DMMU) and community sales.
The development is expected to lower mealie meal prices which are as high as K110 per 25kg bag in some local outlets.
And in another development, the Chibombo District Council has approved an application by the Zambia National Farmers’ Union to construct an Agriculture Service Centre (ASC) in Chibombo.
The application was approved at a full district council meeting this week.
Chibombo District Council Secretary Josephine Mwanza has confirmed the development that the council is interested to see such developmental projects taking off in the district.
And Mrs Mwanza further says the district council is delighted that the service centre will include a weigh bridge, storage facilities, a laboratory and banking facilities and several other facilities to be used by agricultural input suppliers.
The council has since urged the ZNFU to quicken the approval processes at provincial level and start constructing the ASC.