Kaputa farmers protest over delayed payment by FRA

Kaputa farmers protest over delayed payment by FRA

 

Kaputa , October 1,  ZANIS—Farmers in Kaputa and Nsama Districts yesterday stormed the office of Kaputa District Commissioner (DC) demanding  payments  for the maize supplied to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

The farmers from selected satellite depots who did not find the DC later stormed ZANIS offices complaining that they had not been paid their money since July this year.

Roderick Mwipa of Kampinda Satellite Depot in Nsama district said he
sold his maize to FRA on July 30 and has not yet been paid.

Mr Mwipa complained that the delays in paying them will
negatively affect this year’s crop production because farmers cannot start
preparing their fields.

He said farmers in Kaputa do not have animals or tractors and depend
on animals from Democratic Republic of Congo to help them plough and presently they cannot hire them due to lack of money.

Mr Mwipa said Nsama District has received fertilizer but the Ministry of
Agriculture is demanding cash before they can give the farmers the
inputs.
And David Kalumba of Chipili satellite depot in Kaputa added that continued delays by FRA to pay farmers will discourage new small scale farmers from venturing into crop production.

Another farmer Lackson Mumba of Kaputa Central Satellite Depot claimed
that his children have been chased from school because of failure to
pay the school fees.

The farmers have since asked government to intervene by ensuring that more funds are released to FRA to pay all the farmers.

Efforts to get a comment from the DC failed as he was reported to be out of the district while FRA officials refused to give a comment on the matter.