By IRVIN MUYUMBWA
ZAMBIA has recorded an outbreak of fall army worms which have been detected in Mkushi.
Agriculture Minister Reuben Mtolo Phiri said yesterday the fall army worms in the area have so far affected 331 hectares.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, Mr Phiri cautioned that the ministry expects all provinces to eventually be affected by the outbreak owing to the prevailing climatic conditions.
He said the ministry is monitoring events and appropriate action will be taken to stop the spread of army worms to other provinces.
And Mr Phiri said the K640 million from the K1.6 billion owed to farmers who supplied their produce to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in the 2021 crop marketing season will soon be released by the Ministry of Finance to pay off arrears owed to farmers.
He also said the K960 million released by the ministry early this week has since been channeled to all provinces and payments to farmers commenced yesterday.
Meanwhile, Mr Phiri said 26 out of 28 buyers of maize for export from the FRA have been given contracts to export.
He said 110, 600 metric tonnes out of the nearly two million metric tonnes in stock has been authorised for export at an estimated value of K442.4 million.
