Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) says the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will have a serious challenge in meeting the targeted One Million Metric tonnes of grain in the 2019-2020 Marketing Season.
Centre Executive Director Isaac Mwaipopo told Money FM News in a statement that, despite the country recording a bumper harvest, a recent spot check done by researchers from the organisation in Kaoma and parts of Chongwe Districts have revealed that several sheds are still empty weeks after the FRA commenced the procurement exercise.
Mr Mwaipopo noted that in trying to identify the challenges the marketing season is faced with, the organisation also learnt that several farmers were unhappy with the K110 per 50 kilogram bag price offer from the Agency.
“Despite recording a bumper harvest, a recent spot check done by researchers from the Centre for Trade Policy and Development in Kaoma and parts of Chongwe districts has revealed that several sheds are still empty weeks after the FRA commenced the procurement exercise. In trying to identify the challenges, we learnt that several farmers were unhappy with the K110 per 50KG bag price offer from the Food Reserve Agency,” Mr Mwaipopo said.
He said despite Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo announcing that the Food Reserve Agency will be buying grain on cash basis following the release of funds, several farmers are still hesitant to deliver grain to the Agency sheds due to lack of trust emanating from the Agency’s historical delays in paying them.
“Recently, Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo announced that the Food Reserve Agency would be buying grain on cash basis following the release of funds. But despite this brilliant incentive, several farmers are still hesitant to deliver grain to FRA sheds due to lack of trust which could be emanating from the agency’s historical delays in paying farmers, Mr Mwaipopo said.
“We have also noted that several farmers are now opting to either sale their maize to private buyers who are offering much higher prices or keep the grain until they see improvements on the prices.”
Mr Mwaipopo has since urged the Agency to revise its participation price and consider raising it up to a much competitive price.
“In an event that FRA is afraid of the cost implications of revising upwards the price, Government can consider the 2020 grain target from one million metric tonnes to the prescribed five hundred thousand metric tonnes”, He noted.
Mr Mwaipopo also observed the need for the Agency to carry out more sensitization on the recent policy directive to pay farmers on the spot in the 2020 marketing season; most of the farmers doubt this reality.
“With regards to COVID-19, there is need for more sensitization to be done; several small-scale farmers are not adhering to prescribed guidelines, especially with regards to wearing of face masks,” he said.