Written by Richard Kayenda
Mzuzu-(Marapost)–Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) has contemned Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) for creating a situation that exposes farmers to Corona Virus, besides exploiting them.
According to Board Chairperson for the Union in the Northern Region, Albert Nyirongo, the suspension on procurement of farm produce by ADMARC is forcing farmers to purchase their inputs from mobile markets, a situation that exposes them to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In the Northern Region, all the ADMARC Depots are closed. When I say all the Depots are closed, what I mean is that there is no ADMARC at present buying groundnuts, beans or soya beans. So, people are affected as you know at present there is Covid-9. So, people are just going to mobile markets. So, in Kalaula, there is congestion and there are no proper measures of hospitals. So, it means the disease can be spread very fast,” Nyirongo said.
However, Spokesperson for ADMARC, Agnes Chikoko, said the corporation stopped buying crops soon after the regime change.
Chikoko said: “In the middle of buying, there were elections. Immediately after the election, we stopped for a while for the obvious reason; because there was change of government and some officers changed as you and me are aware. We are hoping that in the coming week everything will be equal.”
Chikoko further disclosed that the corporation has already purchased over 48 thousand metric tonnes of maize, but it will resume the purchase of farm produce in a week’s time.
Over 3 thousands Malawians tested positive for Cover-19 and 103 people died of the disease.
