Dorothy Musa Mchinji District Council chairperson has warned vendors against vendors buying farm produce below the governments recommended farm gate prices.

Musa warning comes after the Ministry of Agriculture released this year’s farm gate prices for crops such as maize, beans, ground nuts and soya.

On Friday during an interview, Musa commended government for revising the farm gate prices for strategic crops for the 2023/24 farming season.

Musa said “The price will help to deter unscrupulous vendors from buying farmers produce at lower prices in the district. They thank government for releasing the price timely because vendors have already started buying the produce.

She also warned vendors that the council will punish those buying the produce below the recommended minimum farm gate price.

“They want to ensure that farmers benefit from their labour”, she said.

Alumackio Kalonga one of the farmers from Robert IV village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Zulu, thanked the government for revising the farm gate prices.

Kalonga said “the new price offer hope to farmers because vendors were buying our produce at low. He asked fellow farmers not to sell their produce to vendors at a give –away price.

He also cautioned farmers not sell all their produce, saying they should only sell the surplus to ensure they have food.

James Malizani another farmer from T/A Zulu thanked the council for enforcing the farm gate prices.

He added that the council should also ensure that vendors are using certified weighing scales when buying grain produce such as maize, soya beans, cow peas, beans and groundnuts.

Government last year set the farm gate price for maize at K500 per kilogramme (kg) and this year maize was set at K650 while shelled groundnuts and beans are at K1200 up from K950 and K700 per kg respectively.

Source:Nation