Govt Procures More Maize Expected To Last April

Malawi Government says ADMARC has procured additional stocks of maize bringing the total stocks of maize to 50, 500 (Fifty Thousand and Five Hundred) Metric Tons which is enough to feed the country up to April this year.

Allan Chiyembekeza

Minister of Agriculture, Allan Chiyembekeza disclosed this in Lilongwe on Monday evening at a joint press conference held with minister of Information Jappie Mhango to update the nation on the food situation.

Chiyembekeza said the new stocks of maize were procured after 59, 428 (Fifty Nine Thousand Four Hundred and Twenty Eight) Metric Tons of maize which Government procured through ADMARC and another bought from Zambia had only remained to 9000 Metric tons.

“This country has enough maize. It can last up to April this year if unscrupulous traders do not interfere with this maize” Assured Chiyembekeza who called Malawians to be watchful of irresponsible traders who may intend to buy that maize with intent to sell later at high prices.

Chiyembekeza explained that 59,428 Metric tons of maize set aside for ADMARC was near completion as ADMARC had remained with 9000 Metric tons by last week. He therefore said Government in collaboration with ADMARC has quickly procured additional maize which has now accumulated to 50,500 Metric tons.

He said the distribution matrix of the new stocks of maize is that, Southern Region has been allocated with 25, 833 Metric tons, while Central Region will have 16, 833 and Northern Region will get allocation of 8, 417 metric tons.

Chiyembekeza indicated that when the stocks were at 9 thousand metric tons, government procured at first 4 thousand metric tons then procured additional 12 thousand metric tons and 8 thousand metric tons. He said later ADMARC also procured 30 thousand metric tons.


He also indicated that buying rations remain unchanged to 20 Kg fearing that if it opens up too much, unscrupulous traders will take advantage.

Unlike the previous stocks which its distribution faced logistical issues, Chiyembekeza has assuringly said this time around there will be no such problems. 

“We tried to make sure that maize is available across the country but we faced logistical challenges. Most transporters were involved in distribution of farm input subsidy and food from World Food Programme so it was difficult for ADMARC to find transporters to distribute maize.”  He said adding that transporters were also denying to accept their big trucks to ferry maize into rural areas because of poor road networks and therefore few transporters with small trucks were ones involved in transporting small amounts of maize into rural markets

Poor roads like this broken bridge prevented
Transportation of maize to ADMARC selling depots

“Am pleased to note that now things are normalizing as most of the trucks that were involved ferrying farm input materials have now finished and are starting to transport ADMARC maize into all depots.” He said

The Agriculture Minister mentioned that Malawians should now be assured that there is adequate quantities of maize in ADMARC which is going to ease issues of buying maize at exorbitant prices from vendors.

He further expressed concern over reluctance among vendors to establish markets where they can sell out maize which they bought from farmers. He said Government believes that there is still 100 thousand metric tons of maize that traders are withholding hoping to sell in future at high prices. Chiyembekeza equally blamed maize traders for being responsible depriving poor Malawians from accessing maize in ADMARC depots because are the ones that are dominating buying of maize from ADMARC.

Following adverse weather conditions early 2015, Malawi's maize production and other food crops across the country declined by 30.2%  putting a total of 2.8 million people representing 17% of the country’s total population at risk of hunger during the 2015/2016. Following adverse weather conditions early 2015, Malawi's maize production and other food crops across the country declined by 30%  putting a total of 2.8 million people representing 17% of the country’s total population at risk of hunger during the 2015/2016.

An assessment by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC), carried out in June and July, 2015, the situation required humanitarian food to support the affected people was  of maize equivalence.

To stabilize the price of the commodity on the market through ADMARC the Malawi government also, using its own resources, bought 30,000MT of maize from Zambia for ADMARC at a cost of K2.8 billion, and 22,193MT of maize locally at a cost of K2.6 billion.

An assessment by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC), carried out in June and July, 2015, the situation required humanitarian food to support the affected people was  of maize equivalence.

To stabilize the price of the commodity on the market through ADMARC the Malawi government also, using its own resources, bought 30,000MT of maize from Zambia for ADMARC at a cost of K2.8 billion, and 22,193MT of maize locally at a cost of K2.6 billion.