ALL PURCHASED MAIZE SECURED – FRA

By KETRA KALUNGA
ALL the maize that has been bought for the 2021 crop marketing season is secure, the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has assured.
And the FRA has refuted reports that about 3, 500 x 50-kilogram bags of its maize has gone to waste in Chama North Constituency in Muchinga Province following a downpour experienced in the area.
FRA public relations coordinator, John Chipandwe said all the maize purchased has been secured as they have been moving the grain to the holding depots.
Mr. Chipandwe said to ensure that the purchased maize is secure, the agency has contracted transporters to move the maize from satellite depots countrywide to holding depots before the onset of rains.
He said this in response to a query on what measures the FRA has put in place to ensure that all the maize is collected from satellite depots to the holding depots before the onset of the rains.
Mr. Chipandwe however said FRA was aware that some bags of maize are still in satellite depots because the marketing season was still on.
He explained that the agency was still mopping up grain that was delivered to depots and the movement of the purchased grain to holding depots was being done as the crop was being bought.
“The agency has been moving the purchased grain from the onset of this year’s marketing season and has continued to do so to date and will only conclude the exercise once the marketing season closes and all the maize is moved to holding depots,” he said.
And Mr. Chipandwe has refuted reports that about ‘3500 x 50-kilogram bags have gone to waste at Katangalika FRA Satellite Depot in Mwalala Ward of Chama North constituency in Muchinga Province following a downpour that was experienced in the area.
Mr. Chipandwe however, said in a statement that FRA was aware that some maize for some farmers at the said depot was exposed to rain despite the agency having continuously urged farmers to secure their maize and ensure that it was not soaked.
He said the agency sympathises with the affected farmers and regrets that such an incident occurred as he clarified that the affected number of bags that were exposed to the rains is not 3, 500 as was reported but 2, 750.