Millers cry foul over aflatoxin blame by Mtolo
IT is unfair for government to blame the millers over the aflatoxins found in some mealie brands when investigations to interrogate what happened are still active, the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) has said.
Andrew Chintala, the MAZ president said it was not fair for government to place the blame on the millers on the aflatoxin when they had not imported maize from any country.
Agriculture Minister Reuben Mtolo Phiri recently attributed the aflatoxins found in some mealie meal brands to some millers not buying maize which has the recommended moisture content from local farmers.
But Mr. Chintala has stressed that it is not accurate for the government to blame the millers when it is aware that investigations are still underway to interrogate what could have happened to the mealie meal that was found with aflatoxins.
These miller’s can’t be taking three months investigating when they know where they got the maize they were milling. Why accept and mill contaminated maize? Why even say the Millers did not import any maize, then who did? And so if the maize was imported, why mill when you know it’s contaminated?
As a matter of fact, these pf’s must sue these Millers coz they claim 400+ of its members ‘tragically’ perished coz of the aflatoxins ingested from these contaminated meal!!!!