• Most areas where the milling plants have been installed are still being supplied with Mealie meal.
• Much impact has not been felt in as far as the commercial milling industry is concerned.
• Most of the milling plants have not been fully commissioned.

Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) says the 1,683 solar milling plants that have been installed across the country have no significant impact on the commercial milling industry.
Association President Andrew Chintala told Money FM News in an interview that the impact has not been seen or felt much because Millers are still supplying Mealie meal to areas where the milling plants have been installed.
Mr. Chintala stated that some of the milling plants have not been fully commissioned, therefore there is no significant contribution in terms of making the desired impact.
“We have these solar plants that have been planted across the country, so in terms of the impact in as far as the commercial milling industry is concerned, we really haven’t seen much of that because obviously most of the areas even where these milling plants are we are still supplying Mealie meal.”
“I know that some of them have not been fully commissioned, I think others have been fully commissioned, but in terms of the capacity for these mills, I don’t think really they would make significant contribution in terms of making the desired impact. However, I must say that we haven’t seen or felt much of the impact in terms of the contributions that are coming through the solar milling plants,” Mr. Chintala said.
He added that the milling plants will probably be able to make some meaningful contribution in terms of the production of Mealie meal once they are all fully operational.
“But I think from the smaller communities where they are maybe they could be some form of impact in there but in as far as the commercial milling is concerned, we are still servicing most of the areas where these plants are but we hope that maybe once they are all fully operational, they should be able to make some meaningful contribution in terms of the production of the finished product. But for now, I must say that probably this could be work in progress,” he added.
Recently, Zambia Cooperative Federation (ZCF) Chief Executive Officer James Chirwa disclosed to Money FM News in an exclusive interview that the federation has installed a total of 1,683 solar milling plants in various parts of the country, at an estimated cost of 170 Million U.S Dollars.
Mr. Chirwa stated that the project was initiated in an effort to reduce the price of Mealie meal and create employment in rural areas.