Maize marketing season closed

——-The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in Mbala has closed this year’s marketing season after purchasing 31, 529 metric tonnes of white maize at a total cost of K44, 140, 950.

 

And Mbala district has received 45, 840 x 50kg out of the total allocation of 45, 842 x 50 kg of D – Compound fertilizer and 2, 000 x 50kg out of the total allocation of 44, 300 x 50kg of Urea fertilizer.

 

This is according to the report presented by the acting District Agricultural Coordinator, Rose Silyato, to the District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) meeting over the weekend.

 

Mrs Silyato said the district was expected to purchase 475, 000 x 50kg bags of white maize from small scale farmers but has bought 630, 585 x 50kg bags.

 

She, however, said the number might be higher than this because FRA officials have been directed to mop up the maize from the farmers who have already delivered their maize to satellite depots before closure.

 

Mrs  Silyato also told the meeting that the district has still more maize from the farmers and the FRA was just waiting for further directives from government.

 

And the Acting DACO also said out of K44, 140, 950, only K5, 375, 543 has been paid to the farmers who sold their maize to the FRA leaving a balance of K38, 765, 407 as by September 1.

 

She assured the farmers not to panic as all farmers would be paid before the end of this month.