By Bertha Banda:
The Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) was expected to open all markets across the country yesterday, raising farmers’ hopes that days of vendors’ exploitation were over.
However, hope quickly evaporated into despair for Ntcheu District farmers as three of Admarc’s depots failed to start purchasing maize over what The Daily Times learned were problems related to funding constraints.
At Lizulu, Nsipe and Ben Tchauya depots, some farmers were forced to return home with their maize after being informed that the markets were not yet operational.
The Daily Times crew also discovered that 4,745 bags of maize purchased by Nsipe Admarc last year were still in storage.
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Sources said the institution feared the prospects of making losses after buying the maize at K64,000 per 50-kilogramme (kg) bag while the selling price later dropped to K50,000 per 50 kg bag.
One of the affected farmers, Memory Chimpeni from Mbirimtengelenji Village, said she returned home with her five bags of maize after arriving at Nsipe Admarc as early as 6am.
Chimpeni said she had earlier sold three bags of maize weighing 50kg each to vendors at K25,000 each to recover part of the money she invested and pay back her loan at a loans service provision institution.
She said she hoped that she would sell the remaining five bags to Admarc at K45,000 per bag and use the proceeds to buy fertiliser for the upcoming farming season.
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“We want Admarc to start buying maize and other crops from us. If vendors continue buying our maize at these low prices, we will not make any profit,” she said.
Another farmer, Mary Banda, said she returned home worried about where she would sell her maize.
Banda said the high cost of fertiliser had left her uncertain about whether she would be able to raise enough money for the next farming season.
“For us to raise enough money for fertiliser, which is fetching about K180,000 per 50kg bag, we may have to sell all our maize to Admarc. If Admarc does not buy produce from us, what will we eat with our kids?” Banda queried.
Nsipe Admarc Committee Member Magret Kamanga described the situation as disappointing.
“Farmers expected the market to open as announced,” Kamanga said.
She said some farmers had been raising concerns to her and that she could only inform them that the depot was still waiting for funding.
“Admarc should keep its promise. We do not want people to lose hope in farming or be exploited by vendors,” Kamanga said.
Last Friday, Admarc announced that it would start purchasing maize from farmers at K45,000 per 50kg bag.
And, in The Daily Times edition of Monday, Admarc indicated that it had been allocated K60 billion for the purchase of 65,000 metric tonnes (mt) of maize during the current farm market season.
Admarc spokesperson Theresa Chapulapula told this publication that they were expected to open all markets yesterday.
Chapulapula urged farmers to take their maize to Admarc depots across the country in order for them to benefit from their farming.
“We have received funding from the government and we will start purchasing maize beginning 1st June [2026]. Maize purchase alone has been allocated K60 billion and we are expected to buy 65,000 metric tonnes. The maize will be bought at the government-approved price of K900.00 per kilogramme through designated markets across the country,” she said.
Apart from maize, Admarc is expected to be purchasing crops such as rice, pigeon peas, cotton and groundnuts.
She said the corporation had put in place necessary logistical arrangements to facilitate smooth and transparent purchasing operations during the 2026-27 marketing season.
“We advise farmers to bring to the market maize which is properly dried and clean [; maize] that meets the required quality standards. We are committed to serving Malawians by providing reliable agricultural markets and contributing to national food security [efforts],” Chapulapula said.
