Senior Chief Kapichi of Thyolo has asked the government to open more Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) selling points as beneficiaries in his area including others from Mulanje are thronging the only Luchenza selling point.

The Chief fears if this continues, many people would not afford to buy the commodity due to long distances, “we wish government had opened some more selling points in the area”.

Some beneficiaries, Fackson Mukhori and Wonderford Gomani, from Khonjeni and Maida area told media on Thursday that they are taking about three days to buy the inputs at Luchenza selling point and forced to part ways with more than K5, 000 for transport due to long distances.

However, Ministry of Agriculture Principal Secretary, Medrina Mloza Banda, said they have already started implementing the mobile retailing during the weekends especially from hard to reach areas like Khonjeni, Khave in Thyolo, Lupachi in Nkhotakota to shortening the distance between points.