Chembe District Commissioner (DC) Christopher Mwansa says the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) is ready to commence the purchase of white maize and other crops for this year’s crop marketing season.

Mr Mwansa, who inspected some satellite depots, says he is satisfied with preparations made so far by FRA.

He has however, expressed concern with the delay by the Agency to commence the purchase of the commodity stressing that further delay will give leeway for farmers to sell their produce to private buyers.

“Currently, what I have found on the ground is that our buying agents are ready, the depots are ready and only waiting for a go ahead so that we start buying the maize. My worry is that if we delay further most of the private buyers will buy the crops, they are already here buying maize, they are in the field and they might mop up all the maize here,” he observed.

Mr Mwansa has since appealed to FRA to start buying the maize saying government needs it to maintain the national food basket.

He noted that Luapula Province received good rains adding that the province is expected to have maize to beef up the nation’s strategic reserves.

“I urge the Food Reserve Agency to come on board and give a go ahead as soon as possible and commence the buying exercise. Luapula is one of the provinces which had good rains and we expect to find maize in this year’s crop marketing season for the national food Reserve therefore, let us not delay,” he said.

The Food Reserve Agency is this year buying a 50 Kilogram bag of white maize at K330.

The Agency will this year have nine satellite depots in Chembe which include Kundamfumu, Lukola, Mulilantambo, Asafi, and Lumbu.

Others are Chembe, Lwilu, Kasoma and Kashiki.