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The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in Northern Province has reportedly exceeded its maize purchase target for the 2026 Crop Marketing Season, having procured a total of 192,023.50 metric tonnes of white maize as of September 7, 2026, against the provincial target of 95,000 metric tonnes.
Northern Province Principal Public Relations Officer Sandra Mulenga claimed this represented an exceptional performance, with the quantity purchased exceeding the provincial target by more than 100 percent.
In a statement issued in Kasama on Tuesday, Mulenga said the maize procured was equivalent to 3,840,470 bags of 50 kilogrammes, with a total crop value of K1,332,643,090.
She said the stocks have been supplied by 48,309 farmers across the ten districts participating in the maize purchase programme.
“To facilitate the successful implementation of the crop marketing programme, the region opened seven additional satellite depots this year, bringing the total number of satellite depots across the province to 290. This is an increase from the 283 satellite depots operated during the previous marketing season,” Mulenga said.
She claimed that as of September 7, 2026, the province had received a total of K313 million for farmer payments, of which K312,999,899 had been disbursed to farmers for 902,017 bags of 50 kilogrames of white maize.
Mulenga also claimed that all funds received by the region had been fully disbursed, with payments processed electronically immediately upon receipt of funds.
She added that a total of 9,079 farmers have so far been paid in full for maize stocks supplied to the Food Reserve Agency.
“The electronic payment system continues to enhance transparency and efficiency, enabling farmers to receive their payments promptly once funds are made available,” Mulenga said.
In terms of district performance, Mulenga said Kasama District recorded the highest number of farmers supplying maize to the Agency, while Mbala District recorded the highest volume of maize purchases, at 46,785.10 metric tonnes.
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