By SYLVIA MWEETWA –
SEVERAL bags of maize in parts of Mkushi risks going to waste following a day of unsuspected rains experienced on Wednesday this week.
Mkushi District Commissioner Luka Mwamba blamed the Zambia Meteorological Department for failing to inform the nation that the country would receive rains.
A check at some depots in Mkushi found that most bags of maize recently purchased by the FRA were not properly secured which depot supervisors attributed to lack of tents.
The depots officers, talked to on condition of anonymity, said they feared that if the rains continued, the country risked losing out on the maize which has been purchased on high price.
The officers added that there was need to urgently secure the grain considering some farmers have continued to sell their maize to the  agency.
Mr Mwamba said it was not only his district which was hit by unexpected rains, adding that the meteorological department would have done well to advise the nation on the weather  condition but assured that the damage to some bags were minimal.
He said the district had since received enough tents to be distributed to all depots in case of rains but assured that it would not allow the grain to go to waste.
Meanwhile, some farmers who supplied maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) have demanded that the maize supplied be given back if the agency was unable to pay the dues.
The farmers said it is unfair on the part of FRA to fail to pay the farmers who were looking forward to buying seed for the next faming season.
Mr Andrew Mulenga, who spoke on behalf of farmers, said there was need for the agency to seriously consider giving the maize back if they did not have money to pay.
Mr Mwamba acknowledged the delay in paying some farmers and said payments were being made on a weekly basis, adding that the exercise should not be politised.