Kaputa farmers refuse to sale maize

Kaputa farmers refuse to sale maize

Kaputa , July 28, 2014, ZANIS —Farmers in Katwatwa area of Kaputa district in Luapula province have refused to sale their maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

The farmers are demanding that the Agency should instead open a depot in their area.

ZANIS in Kaputa reports that the farmers say that they cannot travel 25 kilometers to sale their maize citing both transportation challenges and the cost of transporting the maize to Katai area where FRA has opened a satellite depot.

They said they will not sale any of their maize to the Agency under the prevailing arrangement until their concerns are addressed.

Munkonge ward Councilor, Jameson Musawa told ZANIS in an interview today that he has forwarded the farmers complaints to FRA.

Mr. Musawa who sided with the farmers said they are facing serious challenges to transport the maize to the market especially that Katwatwa was cut off after the collapse of the bridge at Kamusenga river.

He said vehicles cannot cross over due to the damaged bridge adding that the Road Development Agency (RDA) who are constructing the bridge have indicated that it would only be completed by the end of this week.

The Councilor appealed to FRA to consider addressing the farmer’s complaint saying the area already has a slab where the agency can be storing maize if they open a depot.

He also suggested that while the RDA was still working on the bridge FRA can open a mobile market to enable farmer’s sale their maize.

Efforts to get a comment from FRA officials in Kaputa failed as the marketing manager was reportedly out of office.

The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) opened the maize marketing season in Kaputa last week.