NO FARMER WILL SLEEP AT DEPOTS AS FRA PROMISES FASTER DIGITAL PAYMENTS
By: Sun Fm Tv Reporter
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has announced that it will buy non-GMO Grade A white maize from farmers at K6.94 per kilogramme, translating to K347 per 50-kilogramme bag, during the 2025/2026 Crop Marketing Season.
FRA Board Chairperson Hon. Suresh M. Desai also announced that paddy rice will be purchased at K7.50 per kilogramme, equivalent to K300 per 40-kilogramme bag.
Mr. Desai said the Agency plans to purchase a minimum of 500,000 metric tonnes of maize and 10,000 metric tonnes of paddy rice, with additional purchases to be made depending on market conditions and available storage capacity.
He further announced that the FRA has prepared 1,749 satellite depot sites across the country, with the depots scheduled to open on Wednesday, 29th July, 2026.
Mr. Desai assured farmers that the FRA has put in place a digital payment system to ensure prompt payments and avoid delays at depots.
The announcement follows Zambia’s record maize harvest, with production increasing from 3.6 million metric tonnes in 2025 to 5.1 million metric tonnes in 2026, alongside carry-over stocks of more than 1.4 million metric tonnes.
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