The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and millers in Zambia have agreed to sell mealie meal at an affordable price, following a meeting in Lusaka. The FRA has offloaded over 152,000 metric tonnes of maize to the millers with the intention of reducing the cost of mealie meal. The millers have agreed to price a 25 kg of mealie meal in Lusaka at K160 and in the Copperbelt at K170.
In a press briefing after the meeting, FRA Board Chairperson Kelvin Hambwezya thanked the millers for their cooperation and expressed hope that the price of mealie meal would continue to reduce with further interactions. He called on shops and retailers to reduce the price of mealie meal as well, so that customers can benefit.
So far, the millers have paid for 75,000 metric tonnes of maize and have been instructed to collect it from the nearest FRA depots. The FRA has also sold maize to 33 districts under the rural vulnerable communities to ensure household food security.
At the end of January 2023, the FRA had sold a total of 1,290 metric tonnes of maize. Additionally, the agency has authorized the release of 50,000 metric tonnes of maize to the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit for relief purposes for households affected by floods.
Kelvin Hambwezya emphasized that Zambia is food secure and there is no need for panic as the country seeks to stabilize the price of mealie meal on the market. The agreement between the FRA and millers is a step in the right direction to ensure that the commodity is sold at affordable prices for Zambian citizens.
