The Zambian government is panicking over the mealie meal crisis and has forced the Food Reserve Agency to sell maize at K60, 000 instead of K65, 000 of a 50 kg bag in a bid to try and control sky-rocketting prices.
The cost of a bag of 25 kg mealie meal jumped K45, 000 to between K75, 000 and K80, 000 on the Copperbelt after a shortage in the commodity which is a staple food for Zambia.
In an attempt to bring the situation under control, the government says its decision to allow the Food Reserve Agency to sell the maize it bought at K65, 000 per 50kg to millers at K60, 000 is aimed at ensuring Zambians have access to reasonably priced mealie meal.
Qfm reports that Agriculture minister Emmanuel Chenda says government remains committed to ensuring that the country’s staple food is made available to all the domestic consumers in the country for enhanced food security.
Chenda said the government will therefore ensure that it makes realistic rather than economic decisions at the expense of the ordinary Zambians.
FRA has announced that it will in the first week of December start selling maize to millers at K60, 000 per 50kg bag.
This comes in the wake of mealie meal shortages which hit some parts of the country recently with Kitwe and Chingola being the worst hit.