By ADRIAN MWANZA –
THE Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has managed to reduce crop wastage to below one per cent through sound management and additional storage facilities.
FRA executive director, Chola Kafwabulula said the Agency had constructed 27 storage sheds aimed at increasing storage capacity and reduce crop wastage.
FRA also wants to construct 98 storage sheds across the country which would have a total capacity of 450,000 tonnes.
Mr Kafwabulula said the storage capacity increased after the construction of the sheds and was now targeting to reach a total capacity of two million tonnes of maize.
He said that Zambia had sufficient food stocks and that the country had enough grain that would last for a long time.
“These projects are all part of the 2013-2018 Storage Investment Plan which is aimed at improving our storage capacity,” Mr Kafwabulula said.
He said FRA had started buying maize at K75 after President Edgar Lungu’s directive and that the move was effected immediately.
Mr Kafwabulula assured farmers that had sold their maize at K70 that they would be given the new and revised rate.
He said FRA was also renting sheds from private entities and that this year 4.7 million tonnes had been received from various farmers countrywide.
The FRA will ensure it pays farmers on time and hopes that the Treasury would released the money on time to help speed up the operation.
