CHIPATA - The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has started buying maize at selected satellite deports in Chadiza and Mambwe districts in Eastern Province.
Food Reserve Agency Regional Manager Godfrey Munyoro told ZANIS in Chipata that, the agency was buying maize whose moisture content had reduced to 12.5 or lower as recommended.
He said that warehouse managers were currently assessing the maize moisture content at various satellite deports before buying the commodity.
Mr. Munyoro said the exercise would spread to other satellite deports across the Province where maize would be bought.
Mr. Munyoro attributed the slow reduction in moisture content in the maize, to climate change.
Mr. Munyoro said the change in the rainfall patters also affected the moisture content levels in the maize harvested this farming season, considering that the rain was now stopping falling in either May or the beginning of June which he said should not be the case under normal circumstances.
“Rain affects the moisture levels, so each time it rains, the moisture increases and this leads to the maize drying late o,” he said.
Mr. Munyoro advised farmers to dry their maize in good time if it was to be sold to the Food Reserve Agency.
Government this year allocated K78 billion for the purchase of maize in Eastern Province.
ZANIS
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