Concerned Citizens of Malawi calls for swift reforms in agriculture sector: asks to open ADMARC depots

Concerned Citizens of Malawi have asked government to swiftly undertake market reforms such technology and irrigation and setting good price among others that can change the economic architecture of the country.

The group has also asked the government to swiftly open ADMARC depots across the country as farmers are being robbed by vendors with low prices prices regardless that government set farm gate prices.

Spokesperson of the group, Olive Nakoma says it is high time government becomes the “shield of the farmers” who after bending their backbones for months ploughing in the field under harsh conditions in order to earn a living and send their children to school are still stark in abject poverty.

“We know that a free and open market is ” a must” for better prices realisation by farmers but government has the responsibility to “unshakable” the existing market ecosystem which continues to rob poor farmers which in turn drags the growth of the economy.

Nakoma cited the example of Lobi Market in Dedza where vendors are buying produce from farmers at very low prices because ADMARC depots have not yet been opened. At one open market, vendors are buying maize at K350 instead of K500; soya at K450 instead of 800 as set by government.

Last month police arrested some vendors who were buying produce at low prices against government set farm gates.

ADMARC has been described as the most “thin cow company” by government because it has no capacity to effectively contribute to the socioeconomic development of the country due to financial resources.