National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) on Tuesday said it needs K150 billion to buy at least 105 000 metric tonnes (MT) to fill up its silos.
However, government has allocated only K60 billion during the 2025/26 Financial Year.
The K60 billion allocation is an improvement from the K22 billion provided in the current financial year.
Speaking in Mzuzu as the agency welcomed maize imported from Tanzania on Tuesday, NFRA chief executive officer George Macheka said they will lobby Parliament to ensure that the resources are increased.
He said: “We have been allocated K60 billion, which is a positive move from last year when we were given K22 billion. Considering the current prices, the K60 billion should be able to provide us with 47 500 MT, which would not be sufficient for the country.
“Therefore, we hope that through interactions with government, we can secure more funding. Our target is to replenish our reserves with a minimum of 105 000 MT, which would require K150 billion.”
“We are pleased that the maize ordered from NFRA Tanzania has started arriving in the country. The total order is 20 000 MT, but the procurement has been done in stages.
“The first part is 9 400 MT, and the remaining 10 600 MT will follow. Within three weeks, all 9 400 MT will be in the country. This stage has cost us K8.7 billion, equivalent to K940 per kilogramme [kg].”
On his part, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) director of disaster preparedness and response, Reverend Moses Chimphepo, said they will immediately begin distributing the maize to those in need.
Chimphepo stated: “We will now be able to provide assistance to as many people as possible. We have reached out to almost all districts. We also have the World Bank maize that has arrived, and this month, March, we will be distributing maize throughout the country.”
Maize is the country’s staple grain, and its availability or scarcity directly impacts inflation, leading to a general rise in the prices of goods and services.
The graincontributes about 53 percent to the Consumer Price Index, a basket of consumer goods and services used to calculate inflation.
