Malawians ask APM to walk the talk on Admarc maize

Some Malawians say President Peter Mutharika’s declaration that no Malawian will not die of hunger is mere political rhetoric and have since asked him to walk the talk.

A snap survey in central region by Nyasa Times  indicate that most Admarc depots are closed for a week now because they had run out of the staple food, Maize.

Most Malawians prefer buying maize at Admarc markets which sell at K5500 per 50kg bag as opposed to vendors who are now selling the maize at K9, 000 per 50kg bag of maize.

“The government should just tell us that there is no maize in this country instead of giving us false hopes that no one will die of hunger,” said a woman at Masintha Admarc in Lilongwe who had been going to the market for a week and half now to check if there was maize.

The situation was the same in most Admarc markets, women lying under trees, chatting to pass the hours away in the hope maize would come as the market remained locked with heavy locks.

Most women said they could not afford the maize sold by vendors.

Nellie Nyangw’a of Oxfarm recently said her organisation was concerned with the skyrocketing of maize prices in Malawi which she said was at 40 percent about normal selling price and would reach above 75 percent above normal selling price by next week which she said was above reach by many Malawians financially struggling in worsening economic conditions.

Government officials concede selling of maize in Admarc depots is marred by corruption as some Admarc officials connive with vendors to buy the maize in bulks in order to resale at exorbitant prices beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Some politicians from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party are also accused of influencing the sale of maize to party followers.