Public assured of continued supply of maize in ADMARC markets across the country
Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) General Manager, Daniel Makata has assured the public of continued supply of maize in ADMARC markets across the country.
Makata made the assurance following continued fears that the grain marketer does not have adequate stocks of maize to replenish it’s markets especially as the country is heading towards the lean season — which are largely months between October to February next year.
The government has been coming under intense pressure by the public with leadership of the opposition political parties, with Parliament chairperson of the Agriculture Committee, Sameer Suleiman raising concerns that there are no maize in ADMARC warehouses.
Last week, Suleiman took members of the media in the Central Region to Malangalanga warehouse which was empty with no single grain in site to to enhance fears that ADMARC does not have maize which could satisfy the demand on the market.
This was despite the reopening of some ADMARC markets especially in the Southern Region which have been supplied with the grain.
But speaking in Sunday Roundtable Program on Capital Radio, General Manager Makata maintained that they have so far been supplied with more than 12,000 metric tons of maize from the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) to be sold in targeted markets in the Southern Region.
“Let me mention here that the maize that we are currently selling has been provided by the NFRA,” he said. “And it has come as a surprise really that recent reports indicated that ADMARC does not have the grain in it’s ware houses.
“This was really strange because it should have already been known that there was no way we could have stocked our warehouses with maize because government allocates resources to NFRA to purchase the maize and store it in its reserves, not ADMARC’s
“So far, we have supplied maize in most of the markets in the Southern Region which has been the priority where government directed that about 10,000 metric tons of the grain should be delivered there due to the fact that this is the Region which was worst hit by Cyclone Freddy — hence the need for immediate supply of the grain to caution the people in the South.”
Makata further disclosed that more trucks from NFRA reserves have been dispatched to all targeted places in the region to ensure ceaseless supply of the grain.
Also speaking in the same program, Human Rights Consultative Committee chairperson Robert Mkwezalamba stressed the need for various stakeholders, including legislators to play their rightful role of ensuring that their respective constituencies have maize.
“One of the roles of Members of Parliament and Councillors is to push government, through ADMARC, to timely provide maize in the markets rather than creating unnecessary panic amongst the people which might further push prices up,” Mkwezalamba said.
Meanwhile, Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) Executive Director, John Kapito appealed to ADMARC to ensure that the maize is being sold to rightful consumers.
“Much as we commend ADMARC for finally opening the markets, the parastatal should make sure that it protects consumers from some unscrupulous traders who might connive with some officials from the grain marketer to illegally sell them maize which might be sold later at exorbitant prices.
“I, therefore, urge Makata to take serious action against any of his officers who could be involved in acts of corruption and deny rightful consumers access to cheap maize.” Kapito said.
Some of the markets which have been supplied with maize include Goliati in Thyolo, Zingwangwa, Ndirande, Mangochi, and several other markets in Mulanje Chiradzulu, Chikwawa, Nsanje, Phalombe among others.
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