‘Increased’ Maize Floor Price Is Still Not Economical – UPND

United Party for National Development (UPND) National Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa, has said that the K150 per bag maize floor price for 2021/2022 is still not economical for the people who are subject to two bags of fertiliser per farmer.

Speaking at a mobilisation meeting at Lugwalo Village in Mbabala, Mr Mweetwa said there is nothing for farmers to celebrate over this supposed increase maize floor price, as issues with access to fertilizer in some regions outweigh any supposed positives which may occur from the price increase.

Farmers in Southern Province and other regions have been subjected to two bags per farmer, far lower than the fertiliser which farmers in other regions have been receiving.

“Our farmers were given two bags of fertiliser with the third one having been bought through the K400 share contributions. In other regions, farmers were being given eight bags of fertiliser, meaning that the farmer here in the south had to dig deeper by selling his animals in order to fund his farming activities,” Mr Mweetwa said.

In spite of these irregularities between in access to fertiliser, benefitting some hugely, the Patriotic Front have set a uniform price for maize for all farmers.

Speaking on this issue, the UPND National Spokesperson said that “we need to rise and show the PF that we are not happy and will not allow to be cheated anymore.”

The Patriotic Front appear to be spending money saved on the supply of fertiliser instead on buying the votes of the farmers through supplying Chitenge materials, Mr Mweetwa believes.

Adding to this point, Mr Mweetwa said that over the past five years, the PF have also committed a number of additional dehumanising atrocities. Examples given included the failure to provide food for the population during the 2019 famine as well as unexplained gassing incidences and forcing the purchase of one bag of maize per family, regardless of family size, through the use of an NRC.

Photo: Lusaka Times