‘No money for Admarc to buy maize’
Two weeks after the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) started buying maize, the Ministry of Agriculture is yet to give Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) money to buy staple grain from farmers despite the State produce trader being strategically positioned to do so.
Treasury in May released K6 billion to NFRA to buy maize as part of the K12 billion allocated in the 2023-24 National Budget for maize purchases.
But in an interview on Monday, Admarc board chairperson Zachary Kasomokera said Admarc has the capacity to buy maize, but government has not provided the institution with money to procure the grain from farmers.
He said: “We are very ready to start purchases. If we had the money today, we would start buying.”
The board chair stressed that it is government’s prerogative to give Admarc the money or not, adding Admarc can only wait for Treasury’s move.
In a separate interview, Admarc spokesperson Agnes Ndovi said the corporation cannot procure maize without being directed by government.
Asked if Admarc prepared for the buying season, she said it is not an issue of being prepared or not, but the institution needed to be directed to buy maize.
“The ministry has a choice to choose Admarc or NFRA or both. It can either be NFRA or Admarc. Last year, Admarc was the one buying maize,” said Ndovi.
Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Irrigation chairperson Sameer Suleman expressed sadness over government’s delay to give Admarc money for maize purchases, saying this shows lack of political will to have Admarc up and running.
“It is not Admarc failing. It is the ministry failing Admarc. There is no political will, it is like they want to kill Admarc,” he said.
Suleman added that government should be mindful that the country has not produced enough maize; hence, the need to move with speed to buy the maize and stock it.
“Government is not serious on the issue of maize,” he lamented.
The committee has since decided to meet Admarc and the Ministry of Agriculture to help resolve the issue, saying the country cannot continue to wasting time as maize is being bought by vendors.
When contacted, Ministry of Agriculture Principal Secretary Dickxie Kampani asked for a questionnaire, but did not respond to the questions by press time at 6pm on Monday.
The ministry earlier indicated that Admarc will be the only public institution to buy maize from farmers this year. Officials committed that the K12 billion will be given to Admarc to buy maize as it is the institution that is strategically positioned to buy maize from farmers.
Government embarked on restructuring Admarc, and has been recruiting new staff to fill over 1 500 vacant positions that were created after all employees were fired in January this year.
