MAFINGA MP FUMES AS MEALIE MEAL HITS K400
MAFINGA Member of Parliament Robert Chabinga is incensed that mealie meal is fetching K400 despite Millers obtaining cheap maize from the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
In an interview with ZANIS, Mr. Chabinga urged millers in Muchinga Province to emulate the Zambia National Service (ZNS) by selling mealie meal at an affordable price to retailers who will in turn pass on the benefit to consumers.
The Law Maker said Mafinga District is one of the districts that has been hit by a shortage of mealie meal.
Mr. Chabinga stated that there should be no reason for millers to sell a 25 kg bag of mealie meal above K150, when the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) was selling a 50kg bag of white maize at K200.
Mr. Chabinga said currently mealie meal in Mafinga District is fetching at K410, which he described as a challenge for most residents as they cannot afford to buy the commodity at such an exorbitant price.
“The price of mealie meal in the district has affected residents in that most families cannot afford to buy a 25 kg bag of mealie meal which is being sold at K410,” said Mr. Chabinga .
The Mafinga lawmaker noted that the high price by some millers is causing traders and some individuals to also peg mealie meal at exorbitant prices.
A check by ZANIS confirmed that a 25 Kg bag of mealie meal is fetching between K350 and K450 in the district.
Mr. Chabinga stated that millers are getting the maize at a subsidised price, hence there was no need for them to sell at a higher price to traders, especially in areas that have no milling plants such as Mafinga District.
He appealed to investigative wings to up their game and bring to book millers and some individuals who are selling mealie meal at a higher price when FRA is selling Maize grains at an affordable price.
Mr. Chabinga observed that the maize offloaded by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to be sold to communities in Mafinga District has not reached the intended beneficiaries as most of the roads in the district are cut off.
“The only maize that the district had was at Tendele FRA shed which cannot reach Muyombe Chiefdom due to the bad state of the road,” said Mr. Chanbinga.
He appealed to Government to ensure that investigations are conducted on people who are trying to let down President Hakainde Hichilema.