Zambia: The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has set maize price at K6.80 per kilogram, for all the communities in Zambia. This means that the maize will be available at K340 per 50 Kg bag of maize and K300 per 40 kilogram bag of rice. The prices of Maize are applicable during this year’s crop marketing season.
FRA Board Chairperson, Suresh Desai, announced the floor prices for white maize and paddy rice in Lusaka. He said that the agency will purchase the grains in a phased manner. Desai added that FRA will in the first phase buy 543,000 metric tonnes of white maize and only 10,000 metric tonnes of paddy rice.
Furthermore, Acting FRA Executive Director, Justine Chunnka, announced that Zambia has bought 185,000 metric tonnes of white maize from neighbouring Tanzania.
National Association for Smallholder Farmers Executive Director, Frank Kayula, welcomed the K340 floor price for maize and K300 for rice.
Solwezi District Farmers Association Acting Chairperson Elvis Chansa has commended the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for setting the maize floor price for 2025 at K340.
Chansa said Solwezi farmers are happy with the increase from K330 in 2024, to K340 in 2025.
The farmers within the Solwezi District have shared that they are happy with this price that has been announced their concern is regarding the quantity projected to be purchased.” Chansa said.
Chansa has however appealed to the government to consider buying more than that 543 thousand metric tonnes of maize.
Luapula Chief’s Council has also lauded the maize price announced by the Food Reserve Agency ( FRA). Chief Chisunka observes that an increase in the maize price will motivate farmers to continue producing more.
The Chief notes that the new price will also help to stabilize the prices of mealie meal in the country.
According to him, some people thought the price will reduce due to the bumper harvest the country is expected to record this year. However the outcome has proved different, which is a welcome move.