Government releases money to pay farmers in Nakonde

——-Government has released K22 million to pay farmers who sold maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in Nakonde District of Muchinga Province.

Nakonde District Cooperatives Union Chairperson, George Silwenga, confirmed the development in an interview with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Chinsali today.

Mr Silwenga said the money, will clear all the farmers in Nakonde who have not yet been paid for the maize they sold to the FRA.

He added that farmers in the border town will start receiving their money through the banks on Tuesday and has since appealed to the farmers to be patient and orderly as they visit the banks to receive their money.

And Mr Silwenga has disclosed that Nakonde has received all the allocated fertilisers, both D-compound and Urea, under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) for the 2014 /2015 farming season.

He added that distribution of the farming inputs has since been completed.

Mr Silwenga is, however, asking the Minister of Agriculture to ensure that the district receives its share of 200 metric tonnes of fertiliser for commercial farmers from the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ).

Mr Silwenga said NCZ has refused to give Nakonde its 200 metric tonnes of fertilizer for commercial purposes.