Despite government’s commitment to reduce prices of mealie meal, retailers in Ndola District have bemoaned inconsistent prices they describe as exploitative.
Concerns from Kawama Township are that millers are selling the commodity at two hundred and ten kwacha (K210) which is high for retailers, hence making business difficult because less privileged consumers cannot afford to buy.
They argue that what is obtaining is manifestation by weak state controls to put a stop to the cat-and-mouse game in the sale of the staple crop that has led to mass smuggling into the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC.
Many find it unacceptable that even when they were given preferential treatment to access maize from the Food Reserve Agency-FRA, millers have continued to disregard policy on lower the cost of mealie meal.
By Lovemore Sondashi