CABINET has directed the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to continue purchasing maize at fair prices, in order to prevent farmers from being exploited by private grain traders offering lower prices.
This decision was made amid concerns that farmers, facing limited options and mounting financial pressures were being forced to sell their maize at unfairly low prices, endangering their livelihoods and creating a potential food security risk.
According to Minister of Information and Media Cornelius Mweetwa, the Ministry of Agriculture had been directed to increase the number of depots so that farmers can have easy access to sell their maize to FRA.
Mweetwa explained that the expansion of FRA depots would reduce the distance that farmers have to travel to sell their maize, thereby improving their access to the government-run market and reducing their vulnerability to low prices offered by private traders.
“By increasing the number of FRA depots, we will make it easier for farmers to sell their maize, as they will no longer need to travel long distances to reach a depot, this will allow them to benefit from fair government prices, rather than being forced to sell to private traders at low prices,” he explained.
In addition, the cabinet also resolved to review the operations of the FRA, with the aim of refocusing its core mandate as a strategic food reserve agency.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba July 31, 2025
