Food agency closes 2025 crop marketing season after maize purchases said to be ‘highest in history’

The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has closed the 2025 crop marketing season after purchasing 1,659,368 metric tonnes of Grade A white maize—equivalent to 33,187,360 x 50kg bags—as of October 27, 2025.

FRA Acting Executive Director, Justin Chuunka, said this was the highest maize purchase in the Agency’s history.

The Agency also bought 252.3 metric tonnes of paddy rice, equivalent to 6,308 x 40kg bags, ahead of the official closure date of October 31, 2025.

In a statement issued in Lusaka on Thursday, Chuunka attributed the record achievement to farmers’ resilience and hard work, which saw Zambia record nearly 4 million metric tonnes of maize production—also the highest ever.

“Our gratitude goes to the Government under the UPND administration for its progressive interventions and innovations in the agriculture sector, which continue to transform and revolutionize the industry,” Chuunka said.

He disclosed that in the past one and a half months, nearly K3 billion had been released to commercial banks for payment to farmers who supplied maize across the country, adding that the move had improved rural household incomes.

Chuunka also commended the Ministry of Agriculture for its timely processing of Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) beneficiaries, which enabled farmers to redeem inputs and prepare for the 2026 farming season.

“We commend our farmers for choosing to sell their produce to the Agency, contributing greatly to sustaining national food security,” he said.

He further thanked the government for the continued support and guidance that led to the successful season, adding that planning for the 2026 crop marketing season had already commenced.

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