AGRICULTURE Minister Mtolo Phiri has announced that government, through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), has purchased 90,000 metric tonnes of maize from farmers. The Minister was responding to a question from Mbabala UPND MP Joseph Munsanje, who asked about government efforts to ensure that farmers sell their maize directly to the FRA, especially given that briefcase businessmen have reportedly clogged depots. Phiri further reiterated that government would procure 543,000 metric tonnes of maize this year. This was in response to Kwacha UPND MP Charles Mulenga, who asked if government was confident that it would meet its targeted maize figure for strategic reserves, following the competition from private buyers. “First of all, we try very hard at the Ministry of Agriculture;...
