UPND Urges Govt To Increase Maize Floor Price This Year

Government has been urged to consider setting an attractive maize floor price during the 2018 maize marketing season to attract farmers to sale their maize to the Food Reserve Agency in view of the anticipated low yields this season.

UPND Chairman for Rural Reconstruction and Development Moono Mapani feels if the government does not offer farmers a good price, there is a likelihood they will hold on to their maize, thereby posing a threat to national food security.

Mr Mapani tells QTV News that this is considering that farmers were offered a low maize floor price during the 2017 maize marketing season.

He says in order not to compromise or threaten the country’s food security, the government should consider doubling the maize floor price during this year’s marketing season.

Mr Mapani states that now that President Edgar Lungu has acknowledged that the nation will have low yields this year due to dry spells and challenges in the implementation of the e-voucher system, it is important that his administration starts to plan ahead so that people do not starve.

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