Grain traders still in possession of 700, 000 tons of maize

Grain traders still in possession of 700, 000 tons of maize

Grain traders are said to be still in possession of about 700, 000 tons of the bulk of the maize produced during the 2015-2016 farming season.

Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Julius Shawa has confirmed that these are last statistics his Ministry has captured.

Mr. Shawa says the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) does not therefore have maize for sale to millers.

He notes that the grain traders are however aware that in view of the ban on maize exports all the maize they are sitting on is meant for domestic consumption.

Mr. Shawa has disclosed that to this effect, grain traders and millers have already begun making trade deals.

He says this is in order that whatever maize is in the possession of the grain traders could milled and the end products put on the Zambian market.