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The Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA) has warned of legal action against traders who fail to comply with regulations on weighing instruments during the 2024/2025 grain marketing season.
ZMA Board Chairperson, Musamala Josia Nyirongo, issued the warning during a media briefing in Lusaka on Wednesday, held at the Best Western Hotel.
He said the agency would not hesitate to seize unverified or tampered instruments, impose fines, or initiate legal proceedings where necessary.
“Let it be clearly understood that the Zambia Metrology Agency will not hesitate to take enforcement action against any trader found to be non-compliant,” Nyirongo stated.
He urged all private traders and buyers to present their weighing instruments to ZMA offices across the country for statutory verification before engaging in grain trade.
Read more: Zambia Metrology Agency begins 2025 statutory verification for petroleum measuring instruments
Nyirongo emphasized that this process is not only a legal requirement under the Metrology Act No. 6 of 2017, but also a key measure to uphold fairness, transparency, and equity in trade transactions.
“As a matter of policy, only verified and approved weighing scales will be allowed during this marketing season,” he said.
Nyirongo also advised farmers to sell their grain exclusively to traders using ZMA-verified scales.
“This is the only way to ensure they are not short-changed,” he added.
Nyirongo disclosed that ZMA had successfully completed the statutory verification of all trade scales to be used by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in this year’s marketing season.
He highlighted the importance of the exercise in promoting national food security and ensuring sustainable trade practices.
Among the anticipated impacts are fair compensation for farmers based on actual weight, value-for-money transactions for FRA and other buyers, reduced fraud and trade disputes, and enhanced transparency and trust in the grain marketing process.
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