K75 MAIZE FLOOR PRICE IS A MOCKERY

A SMALL SCALE FARMER IN KASAMA, HENRY MPEZENI SAYS THE K75 GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED AS MAIZE FLOOR PRICE FOR THE 2015-2016 MARKETING SEASON IS A MOCKERY.
Commenting on Government’s maintaining of last season’s floor price of maize, Mr. Mpezeni told Mano News in a walk-in interview today that the K75 per 50 kilogram bag of maize is not enough considering that majority farmers bought their fertilizers at exorbitant prices.
He lamented that in any case, farmers should not be taken for granted for merely receiving subsidized fertilizer under the Fertilizer Input Support Programme-FISIP.

Mr. Mpezeni has since appealed to government to consider adjusting the maize floor price up-wards as a matter of urgency.
He noted that making adjustments towards the August 11 polls will be seen as a political gimmick and not.
Government has maintained the Food Reserve Agency maize floor price for the 2015/2016 marketing season at K75.00 for a 50kg bag.

Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda told Parliament that the FRA will buy one million metric tonnes of maize of the two point eight million metric tonnes the country is expected to produce.
Mr. Lubinda said the FRA expected to enter the market at the beginning of June when the maize moisture content is expected to reach twelve point five percent.

MANO