SIMUUSA

By CHARITY MOONGA-
AGRICULTURE Minister Wylbur Simuusa says Government will soon step in and regulate the soaring mealie-meal prices.
Mr Simuusa said in an interview that Government was studying the mealie-meal prices and would soon come up with a way forward.
“As Government, we are looking very carefully at mealie-meal prices considering the law of demand and supply market,” he said.
He said Government was not satisfied that currently, the mealie-meal prices were not being controlled by demand and supply.
He said Government would next week arrange a meeting with the millers and retailers associations to map out the way forward in controlling the mealie-meal prices in Zambia.
“If in the near future there is no change with regards the mealie-meal prices, Government will have to come in and change issues,” he said.
He urged all stakeholders to work with the Government in stabilising the mealie-meal prices.
Mr Simuusa said so far, Government had over-purchased maize from the farmers from the targeted 500,000 tonnes to almost 1,000,000 tonnes
He said Government had bought 417 tonnes of rice from the farmers.
Mr Simuusa urged Zambians to consider diversifying to other crops for the benefit of the country.
On exporting maize, Mr Simuusa assured all Zambians that Government had not closed the borders with regards to maize exports.
He said he had received numerous queries on whether Government had banned exports and dismissed the assertions.
“We need the Zambian people to understand the fact that we have not closed the borders on grains and we want them to go to the borders and prove this fact,” he said.
He said the rumours that Government had closed borders for exporting maize had greatly affected the players in the market as it had made it very difficult for them to plan.
“I want to assure that the borders will remain open until the excess maize is done,” Mr Simuusa said.