Malawi Government has set the price of maize for this year’s marketing season at K150 per kilogramme.
Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe announced the farm gate prices at a press briefing in Lilongwe yesterday.
The farm gate price for maize has been reduced from K200 per kg in the previous marketing season but Lowe said farmers will still benefit despite the price reduction.
Other prices which Lowe announced include K600 per kg for polished rice, K250 per kg for unpolished rice and K290 per kg for sorghum.
Soya beans will be sold at K320 per kg, pure beans at K510 per kg, shelled groundnuts at K480 per kg, unshelled groundnuts at 330 per kg, Pigeon peas at K240 per kg and cotton at K320 per kg.
According to Lowe, government set the prices following consultations with a number of stakeholders that include Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) and Civil Society Agriculture Network (CISANET).
He then warned traders against offering lower prices to farmers or using scales that have been tampered with, saying the law will take its course.
FUM Chief Executive Officer endorsed the prices but urged government to open ADMARC markets early to allow farmers to sell their crops to the corporation.
