BUUMBA CHIMBULU writes
SOME farmers in Sinda, Eastern Province, have opted to sell their crops to private buyers instead of Food Reserve Agency (FRA) because of the latter’s delays in paying them.
One of the farmer’s representatives, Mr Japhet Banda said much as the offer by private buyers was almost the same to FRA’s, most farmers in Sinda opted to sell their maize to those that paid cash on the spot.
FRA last week announced the price of K110 for a 50 Kilogramme bag of white maize, K140 per 50Kg bag for soya beans and K70 for a 40Kg bag of paddy rice.
“The private buyers are offering us the same prices like those for FRA. So when we compare FRA to private buyers, you will find that it is better to buy from private buyers who pay us cash on the spot,” Mr Banda said.
Recently, National Union for Small Scale farmer’s Union general secretary Dr Frank Kayula advised his members to sell their produce to highest bidders.
Dr Kayula regretted that only few farmers from the North will sell their commodity to FRA.
And the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) has advised its members to obtain the best price for their crops prevailing in different parts of Zambia and not to rely on what was being offered by FRA.
ZNFU media and public relations manager Calvin Kaleyi, emphasised that farmers should search and obtain the best prices possible prevailing in the area for their crops.
Mr Kaleyi emphasised that farmers should negotiate better prices for their yields including from private buyers who were offering more and paid cash.
Farming profitably, he said, currently had remained unattainable by many farmers.
“Recognising that there are different producer prices prevailing in different parts of Zambia and the fact that maize production has declined, farmers should search to obtain the best price possible prevailing in the area,” Mr Kaleyi said.
