FRA Increases Maize Selling Points

Food Reserve Agency (FRA) Board Chairperson Suresh Desai says deliberate strategies have been employed to improve community maize sales and alleviate food insecurity in the country.

Mr Desai says the FRA has ensured it packages its maize products to suit the budget needs of the most vulnerable communities. 

“We are selling the 50kg bags of maize at 330 Kwacha, but obviously, there are some that cannot afford to buy a 50kg bag at a time. To facilitate such people, we are packing the maize into 25kgs for 165 Kwacha as well as into 10kg bags for 66 Kwacha,” Mr Desai said to Journalists in Monze, Southern province, after he had toured the district's FRA depot.

Stephen Liato, FRA Regional Marketing Officer, said, “We are currently running 64 selling points in the region. From the inception of the programme to date, we have sold a total of 44,383 metric tonnes of maize to the community.”

Many have expressed appreciation for the FRA's maize community sales exercise, a crucial initiative providing much-needed relief after the drought. However, Malambo Mwanza, the Monze District Commissioner, issued a stern warning to those buying the maize.

“We shall not hesitate to arrest or confiscate where we find someone who buys a bag of maize to feed his family but is found to be at the market selling.”