LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Opposition legislators booed the overrated Agriculture Minister, Sam Kawale for telling the August house that National Reserve Agency (NFRA) has enough stock of maize country-wide over 68,000 metric tons.
Kawale told the House on Friday, August 11, 2023, that the country has enough food and that ADMARC depots were never closed.
Nkhatabay Central lawmaker, Vuwa Kaunda said the country has no maize and asked the government to provide maize in ADMARC depots.
He has asked the agriculture Minister to come up clear on the availability of maize in the country.
Concurring with Kaunda, Member of Parliament (MP) for Mangochi South, Shadrek Namalomba said the Tonse government is behaving childishly as people are dying of hunger whilst they are busy with talks without implementation.
Namalomba said maize is very expensive and the minister is failing to come up clear on legalizing the maize price.
Blantyre City South legislator, Sameer Suleiman said statehouse officials are selling maize to chicken feed companies and he has evidence to represent to the August House.
Suleiman said government should just say when ADMARC is going to be opened as people have nowhere to go to look for maize.
Machinga East MP Esther Jolobala, therefore, asked the Minister to come clear on the East Bridge deal and how Malawians will have access to fertilizer
In his response, Kawale assured the August house that he will bring the actual procedure of maize available in the country next week, Wednesday.
On East Bridge fertilizer deal, Kawale said the ministry entered into a commodity exchange deal saying Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) is not part of the deal.
According to spot checks in the country’s cities, 50 kilograms bag of maize is currently pegged in the range of MK40,000.00 to MK60,000.