Farmers in Central Province have appealed to government to consider allowing the export of soya beans in order to address the issue of the current low prices of the commodity locally.
Cresta Kabwata, one of the farmers in Mukonchi, Kapiri Mposhi said the prices of soya beans have continued to drop due to the restrictions on the export of the commodity therefore the need to consider allowing exports.
Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Kabwata noted that the highest price that soya beans buyers are offering currently is K7.65 per kg, which the farmers are not happy with considering the production costs.
Kabwata mentioned that buyers were offering around K11 per kg in May but the prices have continued to drop which is disturbing adding that the farmers cannot wait for the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to start buying the crop, as they need the money now.
“They have not started buying and we can’t wait, we have problems that need money so we can’t wait for the government to come and buy whilst our problems are waiting so we have no option but to take to the millers who are giving us a lower price”, he said.
“We were just hearing that they are exporting, especially these people from Tanzania, they were coming in to buy, that’s why the price was good. The ones buying soya beans now are local buyers, maybe they are keeping it for resale”, he said.
