The Miller’s Association of Zambia-MAZ- has attributed the soaring mealie meal prices to the government’s decision to prevent the Food Reserve Agency-FRA- from offloading cheaper maize to millers, leaving prices to market forces.
Mr. Chintala has told Phoenix News that millers previously offloaded mealie meal between K150 to K170 per 25kg bag when they had access to cheaper maize but that farmers are now selling maize to the highest bidder hence influencing the market forces.
He has dismissed the notion that current mealie meal prices are motivated by super profits for producers, but rather a response to the erratic supply of maize on the market, and the high demand for the grain.
A check by Phoenix News at some reputable retail outlets in Kitwe, showed that some brands are now fetching as high as K290 per 25kg bag of breakfast meal.
