Most farmers have failed to harvest adequate maize this year due to drought but surprisingly, some who were lucky to get a little from their fields are busy selling their stock to vendors who have mounted scales all over the country.
In the past, farmers would sell maize to Admarc with the expectation that when the lean period comes, the grain marketer would sell it back to them at subsidised prices.
Trade liberalisation has, however, allowed private traders to be involved in maize trading and the business people’s aggressive and proactive ways of operating means they are able to beat Admarc to its own game and buy most of the maize from farmers while the state-owned giant is still organising itself to come on the market.
This means that by the time farmers run out of maize, most of the grain is in the hands of traders who usually just keep it in warehouses for sale when they think they can make their highest profit from the trade.
Because of what happened last year when maize was the most scarce and hottest commodity in the country and the repeated drought that has led to extremely diminished maize production, the outlook for the maize market looks gloomy
and scary, unless the government comes up with a radical strategy of making sure it controls the market.
We are just in June and still fresh from harvests but the price for a 50 kilogramme of maize is already above K10,000. Unless something drastic happens, it will not be surprising to see the price rising to K15,000 and above in the not-so-distant future.
One of the most feasible means through which the government can take control of the market is massive importation of maize to oversupply the market and keep prices within range.
And to make sure that traders do not infiltrate Admarc by conniving with staff to steal subisidised maize for sale on the commercial market, the government may wish to consider importing yellow maize for ease of identification of the grain.
No body grows yellow maize in Malawi, so it would only be Admarc and the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) which will have it should the government decide to go for the yellow maize.
Anybody else found selling yellow maize would be easily taken to task to explain where they have taken it from.
Of course it is said the Malawians don’t like yellow maize but it would be up to those who can’t eat anything other than white maize to find a means of buying their favourite type for themselves from private traders on the open market.
The yellow maize will be for those who can’t afford white maize but are in desperate need for food.
Desperate times demand desperate measures, including the need for the government to protect subsidised maize from being stolen by Admarc staff for their own benefit, at the expense of poor people’s lives.
Feedback
Malawi needs to protect kilombero
Dear Thom,
I was so much interested in your article that has been published today [last Tuesday] in The Daily Times newspaper titled “The aroma and pricing of malawi’s Kilombero”.
The step taken by AICC [African Institute of Corporate Citizens] and you in marketing our unique products cannot go without acknowledgement and a pat on the back.
It should be noted that kilombero rice is unique because of the ground it is grown. And that is so much appreciated in Intellectual Property and it’s called “Geographical Indications – GI”. However, our laws do not provide a regime on GIs as such products are protected through trademarks and collective marks.
GIs look at the appellation of origin of the produce, its uniqueness and indication of source.
If the Registrar General’s office can be involved in that, Malawi will benefit a lot.
Examples of GIs protected products include Champagne from France, Tarquilla from Mexico and Tanganda Tea from Zimbabwe
Malawi needs to start protecting its unique products in addition to marketing, promotion and awareness campaigns that could create demand and enable farmers and the country benefit from their distribution and exports.
Kindest Regards
Blessings Katuma, Zomba
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