MALAWI– The National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring food security in Malawi by maintaining adequate maize stocks through its innovative use of mobile markets.
During a recent tour by the Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Cooperation, and State Enterprises to one of the mobile markets in Chamama, Kasungu, NFRA CEO George Macheka highlighted the success of the agency’s mobile markets initiative.
“Since the inception of this mobile market, there has been a massive turnout of farmers coming to sell their maize. We have been able to buy 3,500 metric tonnes of maize, surpassing the target for this mobile market alone,” Macheka stated.
Macheka reported that mobile markets have significantly benefited smallholder farmers by providing them with a reliable platform to sell their maize and thereby preventing illegal exports.
The NFRA operates three mobile markets in Kazomba, Mzimba, Chitipa, and Lilongwe, with the Chamama and Chitipa markets being the most vibrant.
Macheka emphasized that without these mobile markets, the agency would struggle to procure maize as efficiently. “There is a lot of maize out there, and we couldn’t get it if we had been waiting for farmers to come to our depots in Kanengo or Mzuzu,” he added.
Despite rumors of financial constraints potentially closing these markets, Macheka assured farmers that the NFRA would continue purchasing maize until farmers were satisfied with the market period.
The agency remains confident in its ability to secure national target of 120,000 metric tonnes of maize by December this year.
“Our mandate is to ensure that all Malawians are served with sufficient food throughout the year,” he affirmed.
Bintony Kutsatila, Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Cooperations, and State Enterprises, expressed satisfaction with the NFRA’s approach.
He noted that the initiative would minimize illegal exports and improve the welfare of smallholder farmers.
“The National Food Reserve Agency is doing everything possible to ensure it has enough food to feed the nation. Farmers are getting better prices from the agency,” Kutsatila remarked.
The NFRA is purchasing maize from farmers at MK750 (US$0.75) per kilogram and has so far acquired 10,000 metric tonnes of maize across all mobile markets in the country. The Chamama market alone has surpassed its target, reaching 3,500 metric tonnes.
ADMARC markets to reopen with reduced maize prices
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture has announced that ADMARC markets will officially reopen this Friday, September 13th, 2024, with maize selling at a new price of K790 (US$1.07) per kilogram, translating to K39,500 (US$53.50) per 50kg bag.
In a statement, Dickxie Verson Kampani, Secretary for Agriculture, said the reduced pricing strategy aims to provide affordable access to maize for Malawians, especially those facing economic challenges.
“The new price of US$1.07 per kilogram represents a direct effort to reduce the financial strain on vulnerable communities and ensure that maize is available at a fair price,” reads part of the statement.
The ministry further states that to ensure availability, ADMARC will distribute an initial 10,000 metric tonnes of maize across its network, prioritizing hardest-hit areas in the southern region and later expanding to other regions.
Additionally, the government will provide in-kind food assistance to vulnerable communities identified by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee report, with 45,000 MT of maize already released for humanitarian purposes.
The Ministry of Agriculture has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring food security for all Malawians, with regular assessments to monitor stock levels and ensure maize availability at ADMARC markets.
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