THE Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has assured Zambians in drought-affected areas of a continued maize supply as they urge residents to avoid panic buying, which could disrupt efforts to distribute food aid.
The FRA is implementing programmes to deliver maize to vulnerable households.
And to ensure these programmes last, they’re limiting sales to one 50 kilogrammes bag per household per month at a subsidised price of K330.
In a statement released by the agency, FRA executive director Mwansa Chamatete said the public needs to avoid panic buying as this will help sustain the agency’s efforts in cushioning drought impact.
“The affected communities are advised to avoid panic buying for hoarding in order to rationalise and sustain the utilisation of these stocks from the national strategic food reserves.”
“FRA wishes to assure the public of continuous supply of maize to drought affected areas through the implementation of its strategic relief programmes aimed at making maize available to vulnerable households” Chamtete said, “however it should be noted that in order to sustain this program for a longer timeframe, only one fifty kilogram bag of maize is being sold per household per month at k330”
He further added that the movement of maize shall only be undertaken for redistribution from surplus to deficit areas for authorised purposes
Meanwhile over 6,080.73 metric tonnes of non-genetically modified Grade-A white early maize has been delivered to FRA by commercial farmers that were contracted to grow maize under the early maize programme.
Following the pronouncement of a national emergency by Presid ent Hakainde Hichilema on the 18th of March this year over the drought situation, 55 commercial farmers were contracted to grow maize as a response.
The early maize programme which was initiated by government through the ministry of agriculture and FRA as a recipient is designed at restocking national strategic food reserves and ensuring national food security.
By Elesani Phiri
Kalemba April 22, 2024
