By JULIUS PHIRI –

AGRICULTURE and Livestock Minister Wylbur Simuusa has described the high mealie-meal prices in the country as shocking considering that Zambia is a major producer of maize in the Southern region.

Mr Simuusa said when he paid a courtesy call on Eastern Province Minister Malozo Sichone in his office in Chipata yesterday that it was shocking that despite Zambia’s reputation of being a major producer of maize, the price of mealie-meal had remained high.

The price of mealie-meal is currently fetching between K55 and K85 in most parts of the country and prices are higher in areas that are farther from the line of rail.

The minister said there is no justification on why mealie-meal in the country was very expensive and said an amicable solution must be found in order to benefit many Zambians who were struggling to get the commodity.

Mr Simuusa said he had already met the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) and said he was yet to meet the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) on the way forward over mealie-meal prices.

“It is very shocking that a bag of mealie-meal is very high in the country and I have already met ZNFU and I am yet to meet MAZ in order to resolve this matter,” Mr Simuusa said.

He said ideally, Zambians should not suffer with high mealie-meal prices and the scarcity of the commodity.

Mr Simuusa also disclosed that he would in few weeks’ time flag off the distribution exercise of fertiliser for the 2014/2015 farming season.

The minister said the Government was targeting that by September this year all farmers should receive the farming inputs.

He explained that Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) has already started the production of fertiliser for onward distribution to the farmers for the next farming season.

Mr Simuusa said it was also disheartening that the cooperative movement was siphoning money from the farmers.

He commended the Eastern Province for being the highest producer of farming inputs.

Mr Sichone said he was wondering why the country’s staple food like was very priced like that despite being the major exporter of farm products such as maize to the neighbouring countries.

He said Chipata had millers who were fond of telling stories on the issue of production of mealie-meal.

“There is a curtail that if there is power, the local millers are going to say Sir, we don’t have maize in stock and I don’t think this is good because it looks like punishing our own people who wants mealie-meal at cheaper price,” Mr Sichone said.