Three months after the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development announced the 2025/26 minimum farm-gate prices, vendors continue to buy agricultural produce below the recommended rates while Admarc has stopped buying maize from farmers.
The Nation spot-checks in selected markets in the Northern, Central and Southern regions found that traders are buying maize at as low as K550 per kilogramme against the government’s minimum farm-gate price of K900/kg. Vendors are also buying pigeon peas at around K900 per kilogramme instead of the gazetted K1 500.
For instance, at Nkhamenya and Wimbe markets in Kasungu, as well as Lifupa and Kapoka markets in Chitipa, farmers are selling a 20-litre bucket of maize at K10 000, equivalent to about K500/kg, or 44 percent below the official minimum price.
In the Southern Region, traders at Chirimba Market in Blantyre and Mbulumbudzi Market in Chiradzulu are buying maize at around K800 per kilogramme, or 11 percent below the recommended price.
In Phalombe, vendors at Migowi and Chiringa trading centres are purchasing rice at about K1 200 per kilogramme against the recommended price of K1 500, while pigeon peas are fetching around K900 per kilogramme instead of the gazetted K1 500.
In separate interviews, Godfrey Majeke of Nyambo Village in Kasungu and Esther Masikini from Kapoka in Chitipa said they had hoped to sell their maize to Admarc, but were informed that the corporation had stopped buying the grain.
“Now I am being forced to sell my maize to vendors at K10 000 per 20-litre bucket. My worry is that I will have to sell more bags of maize to raise money for farm inputs for the coming growing season,” said Majeke.
Admarc chief executive officer Ben Botolo confirmed yesterday that the State grain trader has stopped buying maize from farmers.
He said the corporation is now focusing on commodities that offer better returns.
“We have received an additional K10 billion for recapitalisation, on top of the K5 billion that we received for maize purchases. With the K10 billion, we are targeting rice, pigeon peas and beans because we want to make profits, unlike with maize,” said Botolo.
Responding to concerns over the continued violation of minimum farm-gate prices, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development spokesperson Salome Gangire said the ministry is monitoring compliance through Agricultural Development Divisions (ADDs), district agriculture offices, local councils, traditional leaders and law enforcement agencies.
“The ministry is working closely with relevant enforcement agencies to ensure compliance, and reports from the field are continuously being reviewed to guide responsive action where necessary,” she said.
She urged farmers to familiarise themselves with the official minimum farm-gate prices and avoid selling below the prescribed thresholds whenever possible.
