Opposition MP forces minister Nankhumwa to explain rotten Admarc maize

Opposition member of parliament on Thursday forced Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development minister Kondwani Nankhumwa to explain how  7 000 tonnes of maize got rotten when the grain was in Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) silos.

Nankhumwa: Scientists assessed the maize

Lilongwe city south east MP Ulemu Msungama (MCP) asked Nankhumwa where the maize is kept and how it will be disposed of.

Nankhumwa told the House that the maize was discoloured and declared rotten because it was bought with high moisture content.

He said scientists assessed the maize and declared it “not good for human consumption.”

Nankhumwa said the maize can be processed and be used as livestock feed.

He said the maize is now at Admarc depots at Chilumba, Nkhata Bay, Luchenza, Lilongwe, Golomoti and Malangalanga.

Admarc acting chief executive officer Margaret Roka-Mauwa told Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources and Climate Change that most of the rotten maize was in their Northern Region depots where people do not buy much maize because it is not their staple food.

She said the maize had been there for the past three years.

“We have about 7 000 tonnes of de-coloured maize in the Northern Region. It is not that the maize was in one place but in various depots, this is so because we have learnt that most people in the North do not depend on maize as a staple food.

“Many eat matoki, cassava flour and rice. So, this affected the buying patterns on maize, making most depots have stock which people didn’t buy.”

United Democratic Front (UDF) legislator for Machinga East legislator Esther Jolobala said it was irking to hear that maize was rotting in Admarc depots when people in her area were dying of hunger.

The cost of the rotten maize is K1.7 billion.

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mpilu
mpilu
4 years ago

khokhokhokho
from ashamed cadet.
nakhumwa fat arse screwed up.

Raw Stuffer
Raw Stuffer
4 years ago

When did government know or realise the northern region has a different stable food other than maize? Why stocking the northern region with all that maize? And how does it explain the rotten maize in Central, Southern and Eastern regions?

inkosikazi
inkosikazi
4 years ago

Somebody is not telling the whole truth on this matter. Information on ground shows that all the 7000Mt of maize was sold to vendors at MK100 per Kg. Honourable Mps, go and verify stocks in depots which are near where you are.

Ulemu Banda
Ulemu Banda
4 years ago

Admarc!!! You only have one job. The incompetence in this establishment is beyond repairable. Fire the CEO.

Nabetha
Nabetha
4 years ago

It’s obvious that somebody has been negligent of their duties and responsibilities. We know that every department has its check and balance procedures to ensure food or any products they use stays in good condition. Somebody must take responsibility for this waste. I hope as we stand now some one is on suspension pending investigation. If not then this rubbish will continue to happen as normal cry my beloved country !!!

Ambrose
Ambrose
4 years ago

I find the explanation by the minster to be in contradiction with that of tbe CEO of ADMARC. It impossible to keep moist maize for just a year and yet you claim you kept it for three years. The CEO said the maize was kept for three years and the minster lies that the grain got rotten because it was bought while moist. Do we have the right man spearheading the once admired ministry? Kho you can do better. To start with, who is supposed to check the moisture content of the crop before its purchased by ADMARC? Was that… Read more »

Muntu
Muntu
4 years ago

The maize had been bought with high moisture content and had been sitting in the depots for three years?
You’d think that dehumidifiers could have been installed in the buildings and that monitoring aught to be done regularly.
Inefficiencies and unprofessionalism abound when the government becomes preoccupied with nepotism and cronyism.

Justice Anastasia
Justice Anastasia
4 years ago

North should vow not to let that maize go ,reduce the price we will eat.

Sahara
Sahara
4 years ago

So why send more maize to the north when you know that it’s not their staple food? How stupid could you be? ALhomwe opanda nzeru. This country is being run by chicken heads. Someone made that stupid decision unfortunately there is no accountability in this tipex government.

Charie
Charie
4 years ago

It happens when maize it’s too much

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