Delay in opening Admarc depots tactical—Chaponda
Despite prevailing scarcity of maize and the increase in the grain’s prices on the market, government has said it will not open Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) depots soon.
Describing the delay as ‘tactical’, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development George Chaponda said currently Admarc and National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) are buying maize and government cannot buy and sell at the same time
The minister was speaking in an interview after touring winter cropping project at Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Limited’s Nchalo Estate in Chikwawa last week.
“What will happen is that people will buy and sell it to us because obviously, Admarc will be selling at a lower price,” said Chaponda.
He said government will officially announce the start of maize sales in Admarc depots which, he said will go simultaneously with the distribution of humanitarian food.
During a recent spot check in Chikwawa and Nsanje districts, which the latest Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (Mvac) singled out as most hit by hunger, The Nation established that people are spending between K13 000 and K15 000 per 50 kilogramme bag of maize.
Government closed down all its Admarc selling points to allow it to buy the grain from farmers.
In an earlier interview, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Principal Secretary Erica Maganga said government put the budget for maize importation at K242 billion, which Admarc and NFRA would source both locally and from countries such as Zambia and Mexico. n
