ADMARC has warned that it risks losing maize and fertiliser stocks due to a shortage of tarpaulins, as a proposed K2.97 billion procurement deal for the materials faces an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigation.
The contract, which has raised eyebrows over its hefty price tag for just 100 tarpaulins, was earmarked for Maiden Investment before the ACB halted the proposed award on October 9, 2026.
ADMARC Chief Executive Officer Ben Botolo said the shortage was already affecting the corporation’s ability to fumigate and protect stored grain in some areas, exposing commodities to possible pest infestation and rain damage.
“ADMARC will be forced to offload most of its commodity because fumigation will only be done using these tarpaulins. Now we are faced with challenges of fumigation and infestation of grain since we do not have tarpaulins in some areas,” Botolo said.
He explained that ADMARC operates 359 markets, most of which have warehouses requiring tarpaulins for fumigation and protection of stored commodities.
Botolo said the materials were also important during the rainy season, when damaged or blown-off warehouse roofs could expose maize, fertiliser and other stocks to rain and moisture.
“These are multipurpose for fumigation, for rain protection and so on. Something has happened this year ADMARC is late in buying tarpaulins. This will lead to loss of grain or fertilisers due to shortage of covering material,” he said.
The ACB issued a restriction notice on October 9, 2026, stopping the proposed award of contract number ADMARC/NCB/TP/2026/2027/02 to Maiden Investment for the supply of 100 tarpaulins valued at approximately K2.97 billion.
Botolo said ADMARC was waiting for the conclusion of the Bureau’s investigation, adding that the procurement process had only reached the intention-to-award stage.
He also dismissed suggestions that competing bidders had challenged the proposed award, saying no bidder had formally lodged a complaint.
“What appeared in the papers was an intention to award. No single bidder has challenged the intention to award. The ones making noise are not the bidders,” he said.
Botolo further said most competing bidders had quoted more than K2.9 billion, with some submitting bids of K3.5 billion and others reaching K4.5 billion.
On the cost of the materials, he said a Blantyre-based company manufactures similar tarpaulins at approximately K24 million per unit, with each taking a full day to produce.
The proposed contract has therefore attracted public attention over its value, while ADMARC faces pressure to protect its agricultural stocks as the rainy season approaches.
The ACB’s investigation does not, by itself, establish wrongdoing by ADMARC, Maiden Investment or any other party.
