Sunday, June 26, 2022
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Business Business News

Traders cheating farmers under govt watch—study

by Joseph Mwale
15/01/2021
in Business News
3 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

A new study by the Agriculture Policy Research Africa (Apra) has exposed how unscrupulous traders use tampered weighing scales to buy grain from farmers.

The study done by Stevier Kaiyatsa and Mphatso Susuwele has also exposed how the same unscrupulous traders use well calibrated weighing scales to re-sell the same produce to people, making huge profits.

Unscrupulous traders dupe unsuspecting farmers

It also questions how government institutions such as the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) are failing to help farmers, who in these shoddy deals lose at least K750 per 50 kilogramme (kg) bag of maize.

Some of the small-scale traders that do not have access to weighing scales, according to the study, use unstandardised equipment such as plastic cups and plates and five or 20-litre plastic buckets, which is common across the food markets.

Reads the report in part: “About 2.5 standard (that is, untampered) 20-litre plastic buckets make up a bag of grain weighing 50 kg. At that time, we observed that the price of grain per 20-litre plastic bucket was K2 500 (about $3.30).

“When the trader uses unstandardised equipment, the farmer earns K6250 (about $8.24) per bag of grain weighing 50 kg. Thus, the farmer loses about K750 ($0.99) for each bag of grain weighing 50 kg sold. The losses may increase where the trader uses tampered unstandardised equipment.”

The study further says smallholder farmers that do not produce market surpluses also sell some of their produce as cash needs arise.

“If the smallholder farmer comes with the bag of grain weighing 50 kg or more to sell, the trader would buy at the price recorded on their charts. Similarly, if the smallholder farmer comes with a bag of grain weighing less than 50 kg for sale a trader would buy at the price below the prices recorded on their charts,” reads the study.

The report further said government needs to strengthen institutions that support the sector such as MBS to carry out their mandates effectively and efficiently.

It reads: “One way to strengthen MBS to protect smallholder farmers from unscrupulous small-scale traders is to establish its representation in district councils, where an officer would be responsible for carrying out the inspection and verification exercises of weighing and measuring instruments that traders use in grainmarketing at such a lower level.”

MBS director general Symon Mandala was not immediately available for comment.

But the organisation has been carrying out inspections to confiscate tampered equipment.

Previous Post

MSE value drops

Next Post

Unscrupulous traders dupe unsuspecting farmers

Related Posts

Business News

Experts offer tips on donor-funded projects

June 25, 2022
Fewer people wanted to go into the wilderness
Business News

Malawi struggles on global tourism

June 24, 2022
Business News

Old Mutual moves to curb insurance fraud

June 24, 2022
Next Post
NyaLonje: Both teachers and learners have been affected

Unscrupulous traders dupe unsuspecting farmers

Opinions and Columns

People’s Tribunal

Two years later and we are still singing same song

June 26, 2022
Big Man Wamkulu

Wife’s relatives have taken over my house

June 26, 2022
My Thought

Stop cyber harassment

June 26, 2022
Candid Talk

Baby gender preference and disappointments

June 26, 2022

Malawi-Music.com Top10

Trending Stories

  • Chilima addresses UTM Party sympathises at his residence

    Tonse partners feel sidelined

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Mixed views on SKC ouster

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Govt says HRDC rating unfair

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ex-soldiers threaten vigil at Capital Hill

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Zambia is home for Kulamba —Lukwa

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

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

© 2022 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
  • Columns
  • 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.