Farmers’ union demands urgent govt action over delayed payments by Food Reserve Agency

The Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) has demanded answers from government over the delayed payments to farmers who supplied maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), warning that the situation was undermining farmer liquidity at a critical time in the agricultural calendar.

ZNFU president, Zvhikonyo Mahombe, said the prolonged delays were already affecting farmers’ ability to participate effectively in the ongoing planting season.

“The Union remains concerned about the delayed payments to farmers who supplied maize to the FRA. These prolonged delays are having an adverse effect on farmer liquidity at a critical time of the agricultural calendar,” Mahombe said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

He noted that maize seed purchases had markedly declined compared to the same period last year, indicating that many farmers lacked capital to fully participate in the current planting cycle.

Mahombe warned that the trend “posed a significant risk” to Zambia’s goal of progressively attaining 10 million tonnes of national maize production by 2027.

He said if farmers continued struggling to secure inputs on time due to non-payment, the country risked undermining the progress achieved through government’s maize market reforms, including efforts to raise productivity.

The Union also acknowledged government’s recent interventions such as purchasing maize stocks above the strategic reserve requirement and allowing mealie-meal exports, saying these steps had helped stabilise the market.

“These steps have played a vital role in maintaining order in the market and encouraging participation by both small-scale and large-scale farmers alike. In this regard, the Union appeals to the government to urgently expedite the payment of all outstanding dues to farmers who supplied maize to the FRA,” he said.

Mahombe stressed that prompt payment was essential for supporting this season’s production, safeguarding national food security, and ensuring farmers remained in good standing with lenders.

Given that FRA was the primary buyer in the last marketing season, he said timely settlement of obligations was critical to maintaining confidence and resilience within the farming community.

“The Union stands ready to continue engaging with the Government and all stakeholders to ensure that Zambia remains on course to achieve its agricultural growth and food security objectives,” the statement read.

The Union further commended government for maintaining competitive maize pricing across successive marketing windows, a move that reportedly spurred renewed confidence among farmers and contributed to the bumper harvest of 3.6 million metric tonnes recorded this year.

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