By OLIVER SAMBOKOGOVERNMENT has allowed the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to purchase up to one million metric tons of maize for national strategic storage.The FRA has also been allowed to export 450,000 metric tons of maize to the regional market. Grain traders have also been given green light to export a further 450,000 metric tons of white maize to help offload the maize in farmer’s custody. This came to light in Parliament yesterday during the questions for oral answers session. Responding to a question by Kanchibiya MP Sunday Chanda who wanted to know when FRA will pay famers, Agriculture Minister Mutolo Phiri said he could not state when the farmers will be paid their money because the maize being purchased was beyond the 500,000 metric tonnes was beyond the budget.He said due to the overwhelming response from the farmers because of the bumper harvest, the new government decided to allow FRA to purchase a further 300,000mt and now will […]
FRA allowed to buy more maize
