The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has urged retailers to reduce mealie-meal prices to at least 170 kwacha per 25-kilogram bag after consultations with the millers.
FRA Board Chairperson Kelvin Hambwezya says the consultation yielded an ex-factory price of 160 and 170 kwacha in Lusaka and Copperbelt Provinces hence the need to adjust the prices downwards.
Mr Hambwezya adds that efforts to stabilize and reduce the mealie-meal prices have been intensified with the agency offering over 152,000 metric tonnes of maize to millers with 75000 metric tonnes taken for processing by the millers.
And, Simba Milling Zambia Limited General Manager Costa Constantino says the engagements aimed at reducing the prices of mealie-meal were fruitful amid high costs of production.
Meanwhile, Shoprite Zambia General Manager Charles Botha says the chain store is open to revise downwards retail prices of mealie-meal once millers reduce the order prices.
By Shem Malinda