Govt worried over maize vending

Government has expressed worry that most households are selling maize, Malawi’s staple food, raising fears of a possible food shortage in the months to come.

However, the same government is in a tricky position in that with market liberalization it cannot stop traders buying from the farmers.

“Farmers might be tempted to sale all their maize, and then at the end they will find that they don’t have food. The responsibility is on farmers on how to control the maize sales,” said Mr. Ulemu Chilapondwa, Deputy Minister of Agriculture.

He further said considering the status quo, the country might end up in starvation as the maize traders would be in custody of the country’s staple food.

Mr. Chilapondwa further also pleaded with maize growers to consider using appropriate measures in their maize trading.

“The Government is so worried. We therefore urge farmers to refrain from unnecessarily selling all their maize,” said the deputy minister.

Traders are currently busy buying farm produce from farmers with some of them using unregulated scales so that they dupe the farmers.