Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe has welcomed the arrest of people who were found buying farm produce at low prices and without licences.
Lowe said the traders were exploiting farmers and his Ministry wants this tendency to end.
“This is the way to go and we need to do more in enforcing these laws as what my Ministry in particular and Malawi in general want is to see a farmer who has been exploited for long time gets a reward of their sweat.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if in your areas you see these unscrupulous trades buying without licenses, using uncertified scales and buying a low price against set farmgate prices, report them to you leaders, the police and even to my Ministry so that an urgent action can be taken,” said Lowe in a Facebook post.
He added that people looking for licences to buy farm produce can get the licences from District Councils, Agriculture Development Divisions or the Agriculture Ministry Headquarters.
On Monday and Tuesday Police in Dowa arrested eleven suspects on cases of contravening the set minimum farmgate prices, use of uncertified scales and buying farm produce without licenses.
The suspects are Cecilia Banda, 33, Gaweni Makuluni, 31, Hezekiah Khaki, 28, Chimwemwe Alick, 22, Kondwani Yeremia 21, Joseph Kuseni, 37, Nsanide Phiri, 24, Sike Chikagwe, 38, Lloyd Kumwenda, 27, Tasiyana Khalidwe, 20 and Jeffrey Efelemu, 19.
They were arrested in trading centres of Tchawale, Mtsiro and Mponela.
Arests without interventions to help desperate farmers who are selling the produce is meaningless. These desperate people need basic needs (Soap, salt etc) for their day to day survival. And as government for not putting in place markets as soon as possible puts people into a trap like what we have seen. Honorable minister don’t wait till september to open the market for the produce if we are to help them