By Cecilia Chiluba 
Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has announced that it will be buying a 50kg bag of Grade A white maize at K340 during the 2025 crop marketing season, from K330 in 2024, representing a K10 price increase.
In 2024, FRA was buying a 50kg bag of maize at K330, up from K280 in 2023.
The Agency is targeting to buy 543, 000 metric tonnes of white maize and 10, 000 metric tonnes of paddy rice during this year’s crop marketing season.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka, FRA Board Chairperson Suresh Desa said the Agency will also purchase paddy rice at K7.50 per kilogram translating into K300 for a 40kg bag.
Mr. Desa stated that all the bonded farmers who got fertilizer under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), will be required to to sell a minimum of 10 by 50kg bags of maize to FRA, while the rest are free to sell to the produce to any willing buyers.
He however clarified that farmers are free to sell more than 10 bags to the Agency after putting aside what they need for household consumption.
“The Food Reserve Agency will buy the following designated agricultural products: maize and paddy rice. The Agency will first target to buy 543,000 metric tons of maize and 10,000 metric tons of paddy rice.”
“Let me hasten to state that, the Food Reserve Agency will not be limited to purchase the above stated quantities. The Agency shall remain vigilant to monitor the performance of other players in crop marketing,” Mr. Desa stated.
He emphasized that the price that has been set reflects the collective value for the designated crops, as the offer takes into consideration the need to incentivize and compensate the farmers for their resilience.
Mr. Desa encouraged farmers to prioritize household food security by retaining adequate quantities of food stocks for home consumption.
“While farmers are free to sell their produce to any buyer, they should seriously consider selling to FRA in order to ensure national food security.”
“Farmers should clean their grain before delivering to the nearest satellite depot as this will quicken the handling process of delivered stock at the depots,” he emphasized.
Mr. Desa revealed that the Agency will use a phased market entry approach in view of differences in weather patterns across the country.
“In this regard, the Agency will commence crop purchases in regions where grain moisture content has reached the acceptable threshold of 12.5% in line with the Zambian scientifically recommended grain quality standards.
FRA has since recruited 2, 856 seasonal depot staff to manage operations at all the 1, 428 FRA satellite depots countrywide.
News Desk