Govt Announce Farm Products Prices

By Vitumbiko Mvula………

The Government of Malawi through the ministry of Agriculture has announced farm gate prices of the staple grain and other farm produce with a hike in the price.

According to the press statement The Malawi Guardian spotted states with immediate effect maize will be bought at MK500 per kilogram from MK 220 last year and a bag weighing 50 kilograms will be going at MK25,000 from last year’s MK11,000 while soya beans has been set at MK 800 per kilogram.

Pure beans will go at MK700 and mixed beans at MK600 while unpolished rice is at MK500 per kilogram whereas polished rice is at MK1000 per kilogram.

The ministry with immediate effect argues people, agro- dealers and agro- processors intending to by farm products mentioned to abide by the stipulated price and not less than that.

The ministry also warn buyers to make sure that they are licensed and use approved scales .

” The applicants applying for licensed will be required to complete application forms indicating location of their wares houses and serial numbers of scales they will use for buying the produce . All scales must be assured and certified by Malawi Bureau of Standards “, reads part of the statement.

Licenses for buying agricultural produce can be obtained from the offices of District Councils .

Currently selling prices of maize vary in the country. In the city of Lilongwe vendors are selling maize at a price of MK900 and a 5 litres bucket at MK4500 and most of our Mother grain branches are out of it.