State produce trader Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) has been asked to reopen its depots nationwide to enable people to buy maize at an affordable price.

The call follows reports that vendors have filled the gap by selling maize to consumers at exorbitant prices.

People queue at an Admarc depot to buy maize

The situation is worse in flood-hit and cyclone-affected areas of Nsanje and Chikwawa, where maize is scarce due to poor harvest in the aftermath of Cyclone Ana.

According to Senior Chief Mlolo of Nsanje District some vendors are selling maize at K350 per kg.

Mlolo has since written to Admarc to open up some markets in the Lower Shire so that people can access maize at government recommended price of K205 per kg.

The letter dated June 24 2022 reads in part: “You may wish to be informed that currently, the vendors are selling a 50kg bag of maize at K15 000 or K18 000 which is on the higher side for my subjects considering the fact that we are in the process of recovery from the Cyclone Anna; hence, my request.”

Admarc board chairperson Alexander Kusamba Dzonzi yesterday confirmed receiving the letter, saying he has since asked the Ministry of Agriculture to intervene so that some markets can be re-opened.

He said: “Admarc markets closed because there was an impression that there is a maize shortage in the country. So, we were instructed to suspend all maize sales.

“But I have shared the letter with the Ministry of Agriculture and Treasury to advise us on how we can assist. We will be getting a response on Monday.”

Apart from Nsanje and Chikwawa, Mwanza District has also seen a rise in the price of maize, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri) Malawi maize monthly report for May.

The report says a 50kg bag of maize is fetching about K13 750 in the district while in Mzuzu, Rumphi, Chiringa and Liwonde, maize is selling at K7 500 per 50kg bag.

As at the end of May, prices in the South averaged K 210 per kg, in the Centre they were at K189 per kg, while in the North prices averaged at K183 per kg.

Earlier this month, Ministry of Agriculture wrote Admarc to suspend the sale of maize until an assessment of its availability is made.

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