Government increases maize prices from K250 to K310 per kg
Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development has adjusted uowards the maize buying price from K250 to K310 per Kilogram (Kg).
The ministry’s Principal Secretary (PS( Gray Nyandule-Phiri said ina statemened made available to Nyasa Times that the move it to to encourage private entities who are keeping maize stocks to sell it to the government.
He said government is doing this in response to maize shortage in some parts of the country which face maize production deficit during the 2018/2019 season.
The government further said that it is convinced that the country has considerable stocks of maize being held by private entities including individual traders.
Said Nyandule-Phiri:“ The hoarding of the maize stocks has resulted in some parts of the country to experience food insecurity trap due to declining supply which has pushed retail prices up, making the commodity unaffordable to the majority consumers.”
The government has since urged all traders, cooperatives and companies that are still holding maize to sell it at any ADMARC market or depot across the country.
Currently, government is experiencing shortfall of maize stocks in ADMARC depots.
