The DPP has demanded the government to revisit the decision to hike maize price to K205/KG, saying the new price is too high for most Malawians.
George Katunga Million, a Member of Parliament and DPP’s shadow minister of agriculture, has released a statement following government’s decision to raise the price of maize from K160/KG.
Katunga noted that most smallholder farmers in the current agriculture season sold their maize at prices ranging from K30/KG to K100/KG.
“By the time ADMARC opened its markets to buy maize, smallholder farmers had already sold their maize to vendors at comparatively lower prices.
“Even though ADMARC opened its markets to buy maize [at K150/KG] in the current season, the organization was hardly fluid in terms of cash thereby rendering the buying of farm produce exercise an academic one,” he said.
Million then called on Government to urgently revisit the decision for the good of many poor Malawians who survive from hand to mouth.
He added that over 1.5 million Malawians already need food aid since they don’t have food of their own.
“The new maize selling price of K205/KG is too high for most Malawians and therefore has the potential to render many Malawians seriously food insecure,” said Million.
