Massive ‘early’ hunger looming as Malawi govt fails to control vendors buying maize at low price

LILONGWE (Maravi Post)—The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development through Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC)’s delays to purchase maize from local farmers has given a lee way for private traders to flood the market—buy the Maize at a lower price from the farmers—a situation that will trigger food shortage thereby artificially creating early hunger in the country; all this because of the government’s negligence to intervene, Maravi Post has found.

The development comes barely two months after Malawi government through Ministry Finance, Economic Planning and Development granted ADMARC permission to borrow MK6.9 billion to purchase maize in the 2016 marketing season before private traders floods the market with their low prices.

ADMARC in April advertised for the supply and delivery of 2015/2016 season non-GMO white maize in the local papers indicating that it would buy 150,000 metric tones of maize from private traders within eight weeks from the date of signing contract.

“ADMARC has budgeted funds to be used for the procurement of 150,000 metric tones of 2015/2016 season non-GMO white maize for human consumption and now invites sealed bids from eligible and qualified bidders for the supply and delivery of the maize within eight weeks from the date of signing contract.

“The bid shall be valid for a period of 90 days from the deadline for bid submission. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security as prescribed in the bid document in the following 17 Admarc deports Limbe, Luchenza, Balaka, Limbuli (Mulanje), Lilongwe, Malangalanga (Lillongwe), Salima, Chileka (Lilongwe), Ntchisi, Kasungu, Mponera, Tembwe (Mchinji), Thiwi (Dedza), Mzimba, Mzuzu, Chilumba (Karonga) and Chitipa”, reads Admarc tendering document which The Maravi Post sourced.

However, the Maravi Post’s snap survey conducted over the past two weeks past and early in Lilongwe, Salima, Ntchisi and Dedza reveal that the vendors have flooded the markets, buying the staple food at the average low price of MK45 per kilogram, a development that is likely to affect food security this year again.

“We are worried at the Maize price the vendors are offering to the local farmers. We have been waiting for good price which ADMARC promised to offer us unlike this current price from private traders. ADMARC must come in to neutralize the vendors,” said Traditional Authority (T.A) Kalolo in Ntchisi.

But in an Exclusive interview with The Maravi Post on Tuesday evening, Admarc’s Public Relations Officer, Agnes Ndolvi, disputed the claims that her institution was not on the ground to buy maize saying purchasing exercise started last month.

“It’s not true that we are sleepy on maize purchasing. Our men are already on the ground only that those doing the exercise aren’t on the usual selling points but where maize concentration is high. Actually, we are offering good prices at an average of MK150 per kg (MK7,500 per 50kg) which is better than what vendors are offering on market,” said Ndolvi.

Meanwhile, the country’s agricultural body, Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet) has called the state controlled produce buyer ADMARC to swiftly flood the market to buy maize while offering better prices.