‘Quality rice fetches good price on the market’

Rice farmers in the country have been advised to grow quality rice if they are to benefit from the crop.

Business Innovation Facility (BIF) rice market analyst John Amos said this last week at Domasi Irrigation Scheme in Zomba during price market linkages consultation meetings organised in collaboration with Chombe Foods Limited.

The meeting was held to motivate farmers to work hard in their fields.

Amos said as farmers are busy transplanting rice from nurseries, it is crucial that they are linked to companies that will purchase their commodity at good prices.

He said: “Our goal is to link rice farmers with potential buyers as well as encourage farmers to work in cooperatives as most potential buyers want to buy in bulk.”

Chombe Foods Limited sales and marketing manager Mario Mame called on farmers to take care of their crop.

“It is vital for farmers to invest their time and resources in the growing of quality rice as it attracts customers; hence, fetching good prices,” he said.

Domasi Water Users Association chairperson Anderson Chapita, whose association works with Domasi Irrigation Scheme, pledged to encourage fellow farmers to invest in rice production.

“We are optimistic that this year we will register good profits as previously we sold our crop to vendors who bought it at lower price,” he said.

The two organisations also made similar visits to leading rice schemes in Nsanje, Chikwawa, Salima, Zomba, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota and Karonga.