The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) says it will write to the Zambia Metrology Department in the next week over reports that some private crop buyers are manipulating their scales and cheating farmers off their produce.
ZNFU President Jervis Zimba says in an interview with Money FM News that the Union will also engage with the private buyers over the matter.
Mr. Zimba adds that farmers will be sensitized to carry their own weighing scales when selling commodities to the private buyers to avoid losing revenue.
The ZNFU president says they have received selected reports from their farmers about the manipulation of weighing equipment by the private buyers and has lamented the situation.
He says Farmers face challenges at every stage of the production process from being sold sub standard seed and fertilizer, poor climate and the manipulation of scale as they sale their commodities.
Some Farmers in some parts have expressed fear to sale their harvest to private buyers despite being offered a higher price than the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) due to the reported manipulation of weighing scales.