Farmers shun FRA sales depots in Kasenengwa – DC
By Staff Reporter
Government has expressed concern with the low turnout of farmers selling their maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in Kasenengwa district of Eastern Province.
Speaking when she visited four maize satellite depots yesterday, District Commissioner, Sarah Kalaluka expressed her disappointed that FRA had only managed to buy 558 by 50 kilogram bags of maize the marketing season opened on July 5.
“Only 104 bags have been bought at Kalichero, 387 at Mboza and 67 at Kwenje,” said Kalaluka.
She disclosed that at Chiwoko depot, not even a single bag had been bought and observed that most of the maize in the district had been bought by briefcase buyers, who later export it to other countries.
“This would make it difficult for government to supply relief food in case of hunger,” she said.
She has however encouraged cooperative leaders in the district to educate their members on the importance of selling maize to FRA as opposed to briefcase buyers.
Kalaluka also urged farmers to be alert as some briefcase buyers were using fake money to buy the produce from them.
