Wednesday, April 21, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Front Page

No prices set for Zambia maize

by Suzgo Khunga
07/09/2015
in Front Page, National News
3 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

Failure by a government instituted committee to come up with a price at which Admarc should sell maize sourced from Zambia, is raising fears that the majority of the people will not afford the commodity as the cost of importing a 50 kg bag is already higher than the institution’s recommended selling price.

Controller of Agriculture Services (Institutions) Gray Nyandule-Phiri told Government Assurances Committee of Parliament last week that there is debate going on among the various ministries and institutions involved in the purchase of maize but the matter has not been resolved.

RelatedHeadlines

‘Tobacco is dying crop’

Minister upbeat on vaccination exercise

Chakwera unhappy with Neef bottlenecks

People queuing to buy maize at Admarc depot
People queuing to buy maize at Admarc depot

“We are in a situation where many in the rural areas may not afford if [the maize] is sold at K6 000 [per 50kg bag]. So, there are consultative meetings to come up with a price. I am aware that has not been resolved and I may not be in a position to give you the price,” he said.

Information sourced from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development indicates that government has procured the maize at an average price of K95 per kg and a landed price of K136 per kg with part of the K4.8 billion funding Parliament approved during the budget meeting.

This means a 50kg bag bought from Zambia will cost about K6 700 ($12), which is far above the recommended price at Admarc depots which have been selling at K100 per kg in Blantyre as of August 2 2015, indicating that government can incur losses in the purchase of 30 000 metric tonnes of maize from Zambia if the instituted task force puts the price for maize per kilogramme at the recommended charge or below it.

The information from the ministry further indicates that Admarc started bringing in the maize from Chipata into Malawi on July 15 and as at August 21 19 003 tonnes of the 30 000 had arrived at warehouses at Kanengo in Lilongwe. The expected cut-off point for delivery is end of September.

Government did not tender for procurement of maize but used an open sourcing system and travelled to Zambia and Tanzania to look for markets.

Nyandule-Phiri said government officials failed to reach an agreement with Tanzania when they discovered that maize was selling at over K140/kg and landed costs could have reached K200.

Admarc has also so far secured a K1.9 billion ($3.4 million) loan from FDH Bank and K100 million ($178 571.43) from Auction Holdings Commodity Exchange (AHCX), which they have honoured using Treasury guarantee.

Of K2 billion ($3.6 million) loan, about K1.6 billion ($28.6 million) has already been spent to procure 14 566 tonnes of maize, with 10 221 from the Central Region, 3 856 from the North and 489 from the South.

But grain sales at Admarc remain suspended as the marketer procures maize locally and from Zambia for distribution to outlets which are experiencing shortages at the moment.

The food situation in the country is dire after floods that displaced over 230 000 people, washed away thousands of hectares of crops and killed more than 150 people.

Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (Mvac) has estimated that the country needs 90 000 tonnes to meet food needs this year.

The Ministry of Agriculture earlier announced a 30 percent drop in food production this year due to the flooding and drought in most parts of the country.

Mvac report said due to acute food shortage, about 2.8 million Malawians in 25 districts face hunger. These people will need food assistance between October and March.

The Strategic Grain Reserves (SGR) have 36 106 tonnes currently.

Avatar
Suzgo Khunga
Tags: AdmarcMaizeZambia
Previous Post

Chitukuko cha foni

Next Post

5 000 people to get national IDs

Related Posts

FB IMG 1618917210807 | The Nation Online
National News

‘Tobacco is dying crop’

April 20, 2021
chiponda | The Nation Online
National News

Minister upbeat on vaccination exercise

April 20, 2021
chakweraa | The Nation Online
National News

Chakwera unhappy with Neef bottlenecks

April 20, 2021
Next Post

5 000 people to get national IDs

Opinions and Columns

Big Man Wamkulu

Hot babe wants to trap me, should I ran?

April 18, 2021
Political Uncensored

Mighty mess!

April 18, 2021
My Thought

Chakwera’s indecisiveness will be his downfall

April 18, 2021
People’s Tribunal

Cut the crap, act on abuse forthwith

April 17, 2021
https://www.mwnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WFP-Afikepo-1-2.pdf https://www.mwnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WFP-Afikepo-1-2.pdf https://www.mwnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WFP-Afikepo-1-2.pdf

Trending Stories

  • FB IMG 1618917210807 | The Nation Online

    ‘Tobacco is dying crop’

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Suspension without pay sparks debate

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • NGOs hail Chakwera, urge caution

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Chakwera unhappy with Neef bottlenecks

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ministry defends ‘borrowing’ of Covid-19 funds

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.