Northern Province Permanent Secretary, Bernard Mpundu has requested the department of Agriculture in the area to control the issuance of maize permits for the transportation of the commodity outside the province.
Mr Mpundu said there is need for the province to secure the maize stocks, especially in view of the drought that affected other parts of the country.
He was speaking when he visited Luwingu District during a tour of developmental projects in the area.
ZANIS reports that Mr Mpundu advised farmers in the area to ensure that they secure enough food for household consumption.
He also urged small-scale farmers in the region to support the government by selling their commodities to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
Mr Mpundu said selling the commodity to the FRA will help the region and the country secure enough maize.
The Permanent Secretary also pleaded with traditional leaders to encourage their subjects to sell their maize to the agency.
Mr Mpundu has commended FRA for increasing the number of satellite depots in the district during the 2024 crop marketing exercise.
“I can assure you we love selling; we may sell everything and remain with nothing, and we shall suffer because the need for maize is unprecedented because of the drought. I am happy that FRA decided to increase satellites in Luwingu and across the province; it is logical that they increase the buying points,” he said.
And Chief Chipalo assured the Permanent Secretary that he is helping to sensitise the public on the need to sell their produce to the government through FRA.
The tradition emphasised the importance of this undertaking, stating that it can help in cases of calamities and that the government is able to use it to provide relief food.
“We have been talking to the people, encouraging them to sell their food to the government, in case of hunger, the government will come to their aid to provide them food,” he said.
And Lubansenshi Member of Parliament, Taulo Chewe, who accompanied the Permanent Secretary, also pleaded with the community members in the various wards of the constituency not to sell all their food to briefcase buyers.
He said the region received enough rain and recorded a good harvest and should therefore secure enough food so that the government could concentrate on other places that had droughts.
“Our district is blessed with a favourable rainfall pattern and good soil. I am aware that most of us harvested well, and we have enough food. I do not expect us to have issues of hunger because we had good rains, unlike other provinces that were affected by drought. I am pleading with you not to sell all your food; please reserve some for your families,” he said.
Meanwhile, Luwingu District Commissioner, Chomba Chileshe took advantage of the Permanent Secretary’s visit to highlight some of the challenges and achievements the district has recorded.
Mr Chomba revealed that FRA has approved their request to be given seven more satellite depots.
“As you may be aware, in our district we do not have enough storage facilities. I wish to indicate that my office wrote to FRA requesting seven more satellite depots, and they have approved the new depots. Next week, depot clerks will be deployed to various satellite depots, for the old ones, all the depot clerks have been deployed, and they are starting the process of buying maize,” he explained.
Mr Chileshe appealed to the Permanent Secretary to engage FRA to expedite the movement of maize from the various satellite depots so that the maize is secured.
“Although we are worried that the moisture content is still high, since it is a directive from the government we have no choice but to start. So, we want to transport all the maize from satellite depots to the main holding depots, especially in Kasama, Lusaka, and equally in Kabwe, where there is enough space,’’ he stated.
Briefcase buyers have invaded the province, buying maize from small scale farmers, while huge numbers of trucks are seen leaving the region, destined for other places.
