GOVT ADVISED TO SET UP MILLING PLANTS IN ALL 10 PROVINCES

The Zambia Consumer Association -ZACA Executive Secretary Juba Sakala has urged government to consider setting up milling plants in all the 10 provinces of Zambia with the capacity to produce at least 10,000 bags of Mealie Meal per day in order to contribute toward reducing the prices of the commodity.

Mr Sakala has backed calls for the government to actively participate in the agriculture sector saying the private sector led business environment has exposed consumers to exploitation with high consumer prices of commodities like mealie meal.

Following a suggestion by the Zambians United for Sustainable Development -ZUSD President Lazarous Chisela for Zambia to nationalize the agriculture sector, Mr. Sakala says the state must manage the production of mealie meal to compete with the private sector.

Meanwhile, the National Union for Small Scale Farmers-NUSFAZ Executive Director Ebony Lolozhi has opposed such calls and states that the government should limit its involvement in the agriculture sector to oversight and regulatory role.

Mr. Lolozhi argues that such a move would crowd out small scale farmers, millers and grain traders and has suggested that the government instead addresses the cost of production that has continued to escalate consumer prices.