Vendors are making the bulk of those purchasing maize in Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) markets, The Daily Times can reveal.
This came to the fore when we accompanied Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale on a tour of Admarc depots in the Southern Region.
For instance, buyers we found at selling outlets in Manase, Blantyre, and Sedi in Chiradzulu said vendors are having an upper hand in purchasing maize.
“Usually, vendors come to the market earlier than those who are not into business. They then buy the commodity in bulk.
“We, ordinary people, on the other hand, end up buying 10 kilogrammes or 15 kilogrammes (kg) instead of the 25kg [maximum quantity] that we are allowed to buy,” said one of the buyers at Sedi.
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Another buyer, Prisca Mabangwe from Mendulo Village in Mulanje District, said it is not easy to buy grain as people are always clambering for the commodity.
“I am, therefore, happy that, today, I have managed to buy maize,” she said.
Speaking after the tour, Kawale said he was impressed with the way the grain trader is serving people.
Kawale said the ministry has mechanisms for handling issues.
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“We, as a ministry, have a mechanism for handling issues. If, for example, we find that maize is underweight, we verify, We are not saying that mistakes cannot happen. They do but we are saying if they report on the same day, it is easy for us to act on that.
“On the issue of vendors conniving with our clerks, we are able to solve such issues quickly when they tell us in good time,” he said.
On Monday Admarc released about 10,000 metric tonnes for the second phase of selling maize.
