The Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) wishes to commend the Government for its continued commitment to strengthening the agricultural sector through competitive maize pricing across successive marketing windows.
This successfully stimulated renewed confidence among farmers to produce maize which led to the country recording a bumper crop estimated at 3,6 million metric tonnes, aligning with the nation’s long-term food security ambitions and government targets.
However, the Union remains concerned about the delayed payments to farmers who supplied maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). These prolonged delays are having an adverse effect on farmer liquidity at a critical time of the agricultural calendar. Notably, there is a marked decline in the purchase of maize seed this year compared to the same period last year—an indicator that many farmers are lacking capital to fully participate in the current planting season.
This trend poses a significant risk to the country’s strategic target of progressively attaining the national maize production level of 10 million metric tonnes by 2027. If farmers remain unable to secure inputs on time due to delayed payments, the nation risks undermining the very progress achieved through the Government’s positive maize market reforms including the goal of raising productivity.
The Union also acknowledges and appreciates the Government’s corrective interventions which included purchasing the maize stocks over and above the strategic reserve and the opening of the export of mealie meal, these measures aimed at stabilizing and sustaining maize marketing. These steps have played a vital role in maintaining order in the market and encouraging participation by both small-scale and large-scale farmers alike.
In this regard, the Union appeals to the Government to urgently expedite the payment of all outstanding dues to farmers who supplied maize to the FRA. Ensuring that farmers are paid promptly is essential not only for supporting production this season but also for safeguarding national food security and to ensure that farmers remain in good standing as borrowers.
Given that the FRA was the primary buyer in the previous marketing season, timely settlement of these obligations is critical to maintaining the confidence and resilience of our farming community.
The Union stands ready to continue engaging with the Government and all stakeholders to ensure that Zambia remains on course to achieve its agricultural growth and food security objectives.
Source: Zambia National Farmers’ Union
