By Lifu Litete – Malawi Exclusive
Grain trader Agricultural Development marketing Company (ADMARC) has announced that it has cancelled its plans to export maize to Zimbabwe instead it is negotiating with the government of Malawi to sell all its remaining maize in stock to the Ministry of Agriculture through the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA).
News that ADMARC was planning to sell some if its maize to a Zimbabwean firm brought discomfort among some Malawians who argued that it does not make business sense for ADMARC to export maize at a time the country badly needed the same commodity.
This forced the Agriculture Committee of Parliament to summon ADMARC Board and Management to explain the rationale behind their decision to export the maize.
ADMRAC Board Chairperson Alexander Kusamba Dzonzi has confirmed that the company has freezed all its negotiations with any foreign off-takers and that it has commenced negotiations to have the maize sold to NFRA to cushion the country’s food situation.
“I can confirm that we have started negotiation with the government of Malawi of Malawi to have the maize sold to NFRA as you are aware our legal mandate is to buy and sell agricultural commodities so in exercise of that legal mandate we have commenced negotiuations with the government of Malawi as a potential buyer to have the maize sold to NFRA,” said Kusamba Dzonzi.
Meanwhile Dzonzi has disclosed that ADMRAC will be undergoing a number of reforms for the company to start making profits again.
“The current problems at ADMRAC are beyond money. The company needs to undergo serious reforms and very soon we will be outlining the specific areas that will be undergoing reforms on,” he said.
State president Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has on several occasions made assurances that no Malawian will die of hunger as he strives to ensure that the country becomes food sufficient.