By Steven Godfrey Mkweteza
Pigeon peas farmers association of Malawi has said it is worried over the lack of structured markets in the country, a development, which it says, has affected its efforts to scale up its production levels.
Speaking in an interview during the pigeon peas stakeholders meeting in Blantyre, chairperson for the association, Susan Nandolo, said the crop, which is deemed to be a cash cow alternative to tobacco, needs well-structured markets both local and international.
“As of now, we are witnessing many potential players in the farming leaving the sector due to lack of proper structured markets. This is also contributing to the dwindling rate of production to meet the global market demands,” she said
Chimbayo observed that lack of proper market structures expose the farmers to exploitive prices of their commodities, thereby, reaping meagre proceeds.
“If the markets are not well structured, farmers have no say on the prices and tonnage. Therefore, they become victims of exploitive prices, hence not reaping enough. This makes them to leave the sector,” she said
Chimbayo also disclosed the use of recycled seeds as the other contributing factors for the sector to lose players, saying seeds for the crop are also expensive which make many farmers to use the recycled seeds which does not yield enough.
According to her, the association is still engaging government and other stakeholders on the possibilities of having structured markets so as to increase production and meet the high demand across the world.
Country Director for Christian Aid Malawi, Luke Theu, has proposed that the government should come up with a proper policy direction on the market to ensure that the sales proceeds come through banks, saying a lot of unscrupulous traders siphon money to other countries in the absence of the well regulated and structured markets.
“This crop does not require huge investment but surely, access to market policy will definitely give farmers a say on prices and tonnage, ” he said
Theu also emphasized on the need for value addition and quality so as the proposed structured markets are sustained and fetch better prices on the global markets.
Making his presentation, director for HMS foods and grains limited, Akash Deep, appealed to government to simplify its export trade system so that many traders can export the products to other international markets such as India.
The trader observed that the export licencing system seemed to be complicated, a development which he said put off the interest if traders to export and produce.
“Most traders apply for licences to export but they are frustrated. On the other hand, other potential buyers just get the licence but have no capacity to supply the market. This tendency hinder the other potential buyers a chance to supply,“ he said
Recently, the Malawi government signed a five year memorandum of understanding ( MOU) with the Indian government for the country to be exporting 50, 000 metric tonnes of pigeon peas as a raw material to Indian government per season.
In his remarks, the director for crops in the ministry of agriculture, Godfrey Ching’oma, said government is committed to establish the structured markets for Pigeon peas so as to see a lot of small holder farmers’ incest in the sector.
He however, noted that there were some gaps in the law, hence, the need to review the structured markets.
“As government we are committed to regulate the marketing sector of legumes. We also need to fit in contract farming just like tobacco, “he said
Pigeon peas, trading as Nandolo association of Malawi stated in 2015 through the support from the Christian Aid Malawi and has over 35 clubs, associations and cooperatives cross the country.
