THE Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) says Mealie Meal Prices in the Copperbelt are expected to become stable following the decision by the government to allow the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) offload maize for the millers in the province.
MAZ President Andrew Chintala said in an interview that Copperbelt province was facing challenges and instability in mealie meal prices following shortage of maize in the province where milling companies were being compelled to transport the commodity from other provinces of the country.
Mr Chintala said the transportation of the maize was very costly for the millers and forced them do slight increments to the commodity in order to compensate for the transport costs.
He said the Association therefore saw it fit to try and source for a solution to the problem which had led to the millers making losses and the people buying mealie meal at a higher price and therefore decided to engage the ministry of Agriculture to persuade them to allow the FRA offload some of its maize to the millers to help them save on transport costs.
“We expect the prices of the commodity to become stable now because the prices of maize are not changing and the costs of transportation have been cut, of course the prices may not stabilize with immediate effect but what I can safely say is that the prices will be stabilised soon enough, “said Mr Chintala
And Mr Chintala said the Millers expected the newly introduced load shedding to have an impact on the business but was however unable to currently analyse to what extent the milling business would be impacted.
He said the millers would now have to start to planning on how they will be working on the lost hours by analysing the costs and how to work around staying afloat because business needed to continue amidst load management.
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