Maize prices drop after ADMARC opens depots

Weeks after ADMARC opened its markets across the country, maize prices have dropped.

According to our findings this is because most farmers still have the staple grain.

Speaking with Our reporter in Mchinji a trader Beatrice Mhango said maize prices have gone down this year, which is not always the case.

Mhango said it has become a norm over the past years that maize prices will go up during the lean season from January to February due to scarcity and high demand.

She says the opening of the markets has made it difficult for them as they are still having enough stock.

“The maize business has been profitable this year as most people are opting to purchase the commodity from admarc at relatively low cost,” Mhango

According to some of the buyers we spoke to in Mangochi, Blantyre and Mchinji , the situation at admarc deport is more friendly as there are no long queues and the prices are even much lower compared to that of vendors.

They say with no long queues, the process is more respectable or delays adding that he bought the commodity at the recommended price of 120 per kg.

In his remarks, Centre for Social Concern data collector in Mangochi Ephraim Nkhoma, said “the situation in Mangochi is quite different from the previous years as most people still have maize in stock and that the reduced selling price by admarc has also made it easy for people to access the grain.”

Agnes Ndovie is Admarc spokesperson and she admits that most people still have the grain in stock and that there are no hiccups in the selling process as compared to previous years.

Ndovie says however, the demand is relatively high in the southern region as compared to other regions of the country.

In his remarks Farmers Union of Malawi president Fryton Njolomole says “admarc has come at the right time and that those that still have the grain in stock should not just reduce their prices.”

According to a report by International Food Policy Research Institute during the month of January retail maize price had declined by 4 percent compared to the beginning of the month which is an unusual Patten given the onset of the lean season.