ADMARC running out of maize, rationing in place

Only 6,000 metric tonnes of maize is remaining in the government’s Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) depots to cater for the nation, officials say.

ADMARC Chief Executive Officer Jerry Jana told Capital FM “at the moment we have to ration whatever maize we have, so that it can last us until the next harvesting season.

“We have drawn down about 50 percent to the markets, so we might say that we have another 5,000 to 6,000 metric tonnes to go. So with the rationing of the maize in our markets, we are hoping that we will have the maize until the next harvest season.”

Currently, consumers are scrambling for the staple food in most depots across the country.

It also follows reports that at least two million people are facing hunger following the erratic rains in the previous growing season.

In December last year, the National Food Reserve Agency gave ADMARC 10, 000 metric tonnes of maize following a directive from the government.

Jana told the parliamentary committee on agriculture and natural resources that most of the depots do not have maize because the corporation is rationing the staple food.