Lundazi farmers illegally ‘export’ crops

—Farmers in Lundazi                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        district are reported to be smuggling maize and other crops to Malawi’s markets that are
strategically established along the Zambia-Malawi international borders.

ZANIS in Lundazi reports that Chimaliro Ward Councillor,  John Kamanga, disclosed this during the Agricultural and Commercial Show in senior Chief Mwase’s are whose theme was ‘’BUSINESS IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT’’ attended by Lundazi District Commissioner, Janet Mvula, held over the
weekend.

Councillor Kamanga said several farmers and vendors from Zambia ferry maize, soya beans, groundnuts and other farm produce in trucks, oxcarts and on bicycles to the markets commonly known as ‘’Bwandila’’ dotted along the Zambia-Malawi boarders, especially on Thursdays.

He said although a 50kg bag of maize fetches KR60 in that country as compared to KR65 in Zambia, the delay by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to open the marketing season, reduced number of satellites depots, delayed payment of dues among others were reasons for selling the maize and other crops in Malawi.

The councillor said farmers further claimed that the FRA only buys maize from farmers leaving out other crops such as groundnuts, soya beans, sunflower and other cash crops and wondered where the farmers would sell other crops.

And efforts to a get comment from Lundazi District Agricultural Coordinator, Philemon Lungu, failed as he was reported to be attending Provincial Planning and Review meeting.