Govt releases money for Chipata farmers

—Government has released over K23 million to pay farmers who supplied their maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in Chipata district last marketing season.

Chipata District Commissioner, Kalunga Zulu, says the money is meant to pay farmers who supplied maize to the agency by August 31, 2014.

Mr Zulu told ZANIS in an interview in Chipata today that the money was released on Friday last week and by today banks were read to start paying the farmers.

He noted that government is also making frantic efforts to ensure that the remaining farmers who supplied the maize after August 31 are also paid before the end of this month.

Mr Zulu has since called on farmers who supplied their grain by August 31 to start visiting the banks to get their money.

The DC also thanked farmers for being patient with the government as it delayed in settling their dues.

He further assured that despite the delays in paying them government was still committed to the welfare of farmers in the district.

Last week farmers in Chipata district protested over the delay by government to pay them their money for the maize they supplied to the FRA during the 2014 marketing season.

The farmers expressed concern that the delay in settling their money was likely to affect their 2014/2015 agricultural preparations.