Government tells farmers, traders to sell maize to Admarc

Government has directed farmers and traders who have maize stocks to sell to Admarc in a bid to stabilize maize prices and wade off food inflation.

The country is experiencing souring maize prices because the grain is in short supply which experts say might trigger food inflation.

In a statement, the government says Admarc will be buying the maize at K230 per kg or deliver a minimum of 10 metric tonnes to be bought at K250 per kg.

“Government is giving all local farmers and traders two weeks starting from the day of this press release, to sell to any nearest Admarc depot or market,” reads the statement from the ministry of Agriculture.

The National Food Reserve Agency is supposed to have 217000 metric tonnes of maize in stock but it only has 25,000 metric tonnes.

Admarc was allocated K2.5 billion in the 2019 budget for the purchasing of maize stocks but it is failing to find the stocks.

Consumers Association of Malawi execute director John Kapito wondered why the government failed to put in place measures to deal with the situation which he said is recurring.

Agricultural expert Tamani Nkhono Mvula said the situation is dire because the government failed to buy the maize on the market on time.

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