DON’T THREATEN FARMERS…..allow our innocent farmers to sale their maize at their own price to make a profit, Citizens First tells Agriculture Minister

DON’T THREATEN FARMERS

…..allow our innocent farmers to sale their maize at their own price to make a profit, Citizens First tells Agriculture Minister

Lusaka… Thursday April 25, 2024 (SMART EAGLES)

Citizens First National Chairlady Faith Munthali has urged Agriculture Minister Mtolo Phiri to stop threatening farmers of being removed from the Farmers Input Support Programme (FISP) if they don’t sale their maize to the government through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

Ms Munthali says it is important that the farmers are allowed to sale their maize at their own prices without cohesion from the government.

She told Smart Eagles via telephone that not long ago, the Minister told the nation that the country had sufficient maize to cater for the nation.

“As Citizens First we are shocked that the Minister of Agriculture is threatening farmers under Farmers Input Support Programme (FISP) that they risk being removed from the Programme if they don’t sale their produce to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). Just barely a year ago, Mr Phiri was assuring the nation that we have plenty maize in the nation and no one will go hungry. Without even explaining what has happened to that maize, he goes on to issue threats,” she said.

“I think our Minister should be bold enough to explain to the Zambians what happened to the plenty maize that we had and why our innocent farmers should bear the consequences of his inadequacies in planning.”

She said her party under President Harry Kalaba will bring state farms that will cater for the welfare needs of the country and allow the farmers to sale their maize at their own price so that they make profits saying farming is not a social welfare but a business.