FRA spends over K43, 000, 000 to pay farmers

FRA spends over K43, 000, 000 to pay farmers

FRA spends over K43, 000, 000 to pay farmers

The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has so far spent K43, 306,773 to pay farmers who have supplied maize during the ongoing 2016 crop marketing season.

FRA Public Relations Officer Daniel M’soka tells QTV News that Northern Province has the highest maize tonnage harvesting of 1,286,360 followed by Luapula with 1,038,080 while Muchinga is at 734,580 and North western province is at 689,840 bags so far.

And Mr. M’soka says it is too early to determine whether the agency would meet the target in maize purchases as it has only bought 22 percent of the maize so far.

He says that as at 25th August, 2016, the agency had bought 220,404 metric tons of white maize which translates into 4,408,080 bags.

Mr. M’soka says the value of the crop bought so far is K 374,686,290.00.

Meanwhile Mr. M’soka has indentified smuggling of maize into neighboring countries as the challenge the Food Reserve agency is facing during this year’s marketing season.

He says this has resulted in the low purchase of the commodity at established Food Reserve Agency (FRA) depots especially in Eastern Province.

The Agency is targeting to buy 1,000,000 metric tons or 20,000,000 bags during 2015/2016 marketing season.

 

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