By NORMA SIAME –
THE Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has bought more than 44,000 tonnes of maize countrywide since the buying exercise began, executive director Chola Kafwabulula has said.
Meanwhile, it has been established that maize smugglers are using new routes in an effort to operate under the radar of security personnel.
Dr Kafwabulula said the newest route used by the bootleggers was the Mansa-Luwingu Road.
“Maize is being taken out through Mansa using the Mansa-Luwingu Road then into Kasama and onwards to Mbala and Mpulungu before exiting Zambia,” he said.
Another area that has been identified as being actively used by smugglers is Mugubudu in Eastern Province.
The FRA chief, however, said it was difficult to quantify the maize leaving the country illegally.
He said the agency would continue working closely with State security wings, especially the Zambia National Service, to curb the vice because if left unchecked, it had the potential to compromise food security.
The highest purchases were recorded in Luapula Province where 13,000 tonnes were bought.
The FRA encouraged farmers to start delivering their maize to depots in their various localities as the moisture content was deemed to be low.
“We are also appealing to farmers to pre-clean their maize at home so that they do not overstay at the depots.
“We are not turning away farmers whose maize is found to be high in moisture content; we are instead asking them to leave the maize at the depots and come back later,” Dr Kafwabulula said.
He said famers had no reason to worry about leaving their maize as all the depots had adequate security.