Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made confirmed that Cabinet will put measures against people who are buying maize from farmers at low prices. He also warned the buyers to stop buying maize they did not contract.
Said Made:
We are going to put stringent measures that relate to anyone trying to undermine activities of Government in relationship to grain supply to the Grain Marketing Board. There are others trying to underpay farmers selling maize. We have some merchants who had been licensed by the Agricultural Marketing Authority and these are buying maize they did not contract and we will deal with them. We are going to invoke those licences and we will instruct AMA accordingly.
Government gazetted a maize producer price of $390 per tonne but some middlemen are buying maize at low prices and selling to the Grain Marketing Board. In some instances the middlemen are buying a bucket of maize for between $1,50 and $2 or groceries in exchange.
More: Herald
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