BuyZed Campaign welcomes increase in FRA maize price

Research think tank BuyZed Campaign has welcomed the increase in the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) maize purchasing price from K65 to K70 per 50kg bag.

Evans Ngoma

Founder Evans Ngoma says the K5 increment has made a difference for the farmers and President Edgar Lungu should be commended for calling for the increment.

Mr. Ngoma has told QTV News that this is notwithstanding the fact that farmers would have wanted a much higher price.

He notes that the BuyZed Campaign is however of the view that the price of maize can still be made to go up without necessarily relying on the FRA setting its own a benchmark.

Mr. Ngoma says government can facilitate a government to government arrangement in Countries where the grain is in short supply and thereby creating demand in the Zambian market.

He says his think tank is of the view that such an arrangement will not only benefit farmers but also enable Zambia earn foreign exchange.

Mr. Ngoma says this is while ensuring that the Country’s strategic reserves are not tempered with.