The Millers Association of Zambia – MAZ has distanced itself from the increase of mealie meal prices on the market stating that the situation is as a result of the high maize prices obtaining on the market and not the millers.
The Association President Andrew Chintala has noted that the high prices of maize has not only lead to the increase in mealie meal but all buy-products of maize hence starving the market.
Chintala has told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT in an interview that aside consumers struggling to purchase the commodity, the association has equally struggled to purchase maize as the economic at play has affected its responsibility of offloading affordable mealie meal to its consumers.
He has since called for correct measures and policies by government towards the escalating prices of mealie meal and production of maize if the crop is to transform the agriculture sector and contribute significantly to the economy of the country.
“Every time mealie meal goes up, the blame is put on millers when actually we are not responsible for hiking the prices but the increase of the input maize prices, at the same time the consumer wants to buy mealie meal at a cheaper price. This however requires urgent action and we hope that government will provide us with information and solutions that will assist the problem in the sector,”
Chintala has further bemoaned policy inconsistency stating that despite conducive policies that government has put in place, it has still failed to implement them. He has reiterated the association’s call to address policy issues and has appealed for more investments in the agriculture sector adding that the release of funds to the industry is important in growing the economy.
The association is concerned with the rate at which government is recruiting extension officers who are key in assisting and increasing production at small-scale level. Small scale farmers were last year reported to have contributed 90% to total national maize production.
Apparently, maize is Zambia’s staple food and the current situation has affected many Zambians especially those on the outskirts of the city. The high prices of maize has somehow made farmers comfortable because of profit while on the other end, pushing millers to increase the price of mealie meal at the same time consumers expecting to purchase the commodity at a cheaper price.
The equation however requires critical analysis and solutions by key stakeholders in the industry because despite government’s efforts to stabilize the economy, challenges still seem to rise. People complained when the prices hit K67 last year and now prices have doubled and now are over K130 per 25 kg bag for breakfast.
