Maize
The maize crop, the Food Reserve Agency and the price of mealie meal.
41 stories
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Agriculture
FRA Defends maize buying policy.
The Food Reserve Agency’s refusal to buy high‑moisture maize has drawn expert support, with stakeholders saying the move protects taxpayers and national food security. Former Food Reserve Agency (FRA) Marketing Manager Hon. Dr. Edify Hamukale said, buying maize with high moisture is essentially wasting taxpayers’…
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Agriculture
FRA buys 165,684 bags of maize in Mpongwe
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has purchased 165,684 bags by 50 kilograms of maize from farmers in Mpongwe District. Mpongwe District Commissioner, Mwambashi Mwitwa, says the maize was bought from 19 satellite depots across the district. Speaking during the launch of the 2026/2027 input redemption…
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Business
FRA claims maize purchase target exceeds 100 percent in Northern Province
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in Northern Province has reportedly exceeded its maize purchase target for the 2026 Crop Marketing Season, having procured a total of 192,023.50 metric tonnes of white maize as of September 7, 2026, against the provincial target of 95,000 metric tonnes…
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Agriculture
Record maize stock
FRA hits 3.1 million tonnes in reserve for first time CHISHALA MUSONDA Kazungula AN UNPRECEDENTED 3.1 million tonnes of maize is now held in national strategic reserves, putting the country in a position of full food security, according to Food Reserve Agency (FRA) executive director…
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Agriculture
Keep enough maize for homes
HH urges chiefs to sensitise subjects on food security amid El Niño-induced drought fears CATHERINE BWALYA, MATHEWS MALAZIKA Monze, Lusaka PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has urged traditional leaders to sensitise their subjects to retain enough maize for household consumption amid warnings of an impending El Niño-induced…
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Agriculture
Agricultural expert welcomes FRA Maize price increase.
An agricultural expert has praised Government’s decision to increase the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) maize buying price from K340 to K347 per 50-kilogram bag, saying the move will improve farmers’ incomes and encourage agricultural production. Agricultural expert Dr. Oliver Bulaya Kandela said the price adjustment…
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Business
Muchinga official warns FRA against favouring foreign maize suppliers
Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary, Tuesday Bwalya, has warned Food Reserve Agency (FRA) depot clerks against prioritising foreign nationals in maize purchases, saying the practice undermines local small-scale farmers. Bwalya expressed concern over reports that some FRA depot clerks in Isoka and Nakonde had been buying…
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Business
Food agency claims 2 million tonnes maize purchased in 2026 crop marketing exercise
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has announced that it will on Wednesday, September, 30, 2026 close the 2026 crop marketing exercise after reportedly purchasing an over two million metric tonnes of maize. The Agency opened the crop marketing exercise on July, 29, 2026 with a…
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Business
Zambia seals deal with Kenyan company to export 540,000-tonne maize
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has signed a contract with Kenya’s Baita Trading Company Limited for the export of 540,000 metric tonnes of White Grade A non-GMO maize, as Zambia’s agricultural export earnings continue to rise. ️The country last year reportedly recorded a significant increase…
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Business
2026 CDF Allocation to Reduce as Govt Rules Out FRA Maize Funding in 2027
Government will reduce the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation for the remainder of 2026 to accommodate the higher-than-budgeted expenditure on strategic food reserves. Minister of Finance and National Planning Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane says Government had initially planned to purchase 500,000 tonnes of maize but has…
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Business
Central Province Farmers Urged to Keep Enough Food on Climate Concerns as FRA Surpasses Maize Target
Farmers in Zambia’s Central Province have been urged to keep enough maize for household consumption as the country prepares for a potentially dry 2026/27 farming season. Central Province Principal Public Relations Officer, Tobias Phiri, says the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has so far bought 102,964.20…
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Agriculture
Hamasaka Makes Clarifications on FRA and CDF
Government says the Food Reserve Agency will continue buying maize...
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Agriculture
FRA set to open three Satellite depots in Mungwi
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) is set to open three additional satellite depots in Mungwi District in Northern Province this week. This is in response to the surge in maize deliveries by farmers in the 2026 maize marketing season in the district. Food Reserve Agency…
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Politics
Hichilema anticipates mega harvest, plans ahead to secure alternative markets
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says Zambia could soon face an unusual problem of producing more maize than it can consume and warned that without proper markets,
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Business
Zambia can become regional food supplier with more investment – EIB
ZAMBIA has the potential to become a major regional supplier of key agricultural commodities such as maize, wheat and soya, but sustained investment across the
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Business
Zambia can become regional food supplier with more investment – EIB
ZAMBIA has the potential to become a major regional supplier of key agricultural commodities such as maize, wheat and soya, but sustained investment across the
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Business
Government sets January 10 deadline for FRA farmer payments
RELIEF is on the horizon for Zambia’s maize farmers as government announces that all outstanding payments to Food Reserve Agency (FRA) suppliers will be cleared
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Agriculture
FRA ready to commence 2026 crop purchases
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has completed preparations for the 2026 crop marketing season and is ready to begin purchasing maize and paddy rice once government announces the official buying prices. Speaking during a media briefing, FRA Board Chairperson Suresh Desai said the Agency has…
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Business
Government commended swift payment of farmers
The Kabwe Farmer’s Cooperative Society has commended Government for prompt payment of farmers who supply maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) during the ongoing crop marketing season. Kabwe Farmer’s Cooperative Society Chairperson, Eugene Mwitumwa says the prompt payment of farmers will make it easy…
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Business
FRA buys 61,408 metric tonnes in North-Western
He Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has so far purchased 61,408 metric tonnes of Grade A white maize from farmers in North- Western Province. FRA Head of Corporate Communication, John Chipandwe, says the purchases were recorded from 176 established satellite depots currently open and operational in…
