FRA will fail to meet its target of buying 500,000 metric tons -ZNFU

Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has observed that the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) may not meet its target of buying 500,000 metric tonnes of maize during the 2018 marketing season.

ZNFU Media and Public Relations Manager, Calvin Kaleyi has told QTV news that ZNFU has been monitoring the buying of maize by the agency which has revealed that the FRA is struggling to meet the target.

Mr. Kaleyi claims the FRA has so far only managed to buy less 200,0000 metric tonnes of maize since the maize marketing season commenced.

He has attributed this to farmers opting to sell their maize to private buyers who are offering higher prices compared to the FRA.

Mr. Kaleyi says while FRA is buying a 50 kg bag of maize at K70, some foreign private buyers are offering K150 per bag.

Meanwhile Mr. Kaleyi say the union is concerned that up to now the FRA has not paid some farmers who have supplied maize.

He says this is despite having assured farmers that they will be paid their dues within 14 DAYS.