CSPR disappointed with CCPC

CSPR Information and Communication Officer Maxson Nkhoma

The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) has threatened to mobilize farmers and Pass a vote of no Confidence in Consumer Customer Protection Commission (CCPC).

And the organization is hugely shocked and disappointed to learn of low crop commodity prices been offered by out grower companies for crops like Cotton, Tobacco and Maize.

CSPR Information and Communications Officer Maxson Nkhoma says the prices being offered by most out grower companies are not cost reflective and are likely to exploit many farmers as farmers were buying farming inputs at very high prices last year owing to the depreciation of the kwacha.

Mr. Nkhoma says it is therefore unreasonable and irrational for out grower companies to still buy crops at the same prices they were buying last year.

He says what is most shocking is that all out grower companies buying cotton are offering the same buying price of K 2.80 per kg as though all companies are going to sale the commodity to same company abroad when in fact not.

He adds that his organization finds this to be a very serious abnormally and an act of unfair trading practices being orchestrated by cotton out grower companies meant to exploit the farming community and rob farmers of their hard earned money.

Mr. Nkhoma says CSPR notes with huge disappointment that despite out grower companies engaging in unfair trading practices, CCPC has been watching out grower companies engage in broad day light robbery of farmers.

He has since called on CCPC to immediately investigate and bring to book cartels that have been formed in the agriculture sector with a purpose of fixing prices that disadvantages the farmers from realizing profit out of their crops.