The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has clarified that all its maize in Kasempa is safe and did not get soaked with the freak rains the area experienced last week.
FRA Public Relations officer John Chipandwe has revealed that at onset of the rains, all the grain purchased by the agency from farmers was covered with tents.
Mr. Chipandwe disclosed that the maize which was affected when the rains started belonged to a few farmers who had taken their grain for sale to the agency.
He stated that each time the agency purchases the grain, it is covered in tents in order to protect it from elements, this is done because exposure to the elements can affect the quality of the grain.
“So, our maize was secured, but the one which was affected was for a few farmers and the satellite depot affected was the Kasempa central one,” said Mr. Chipandwe.
He disclosed that the officers on the ground have since asked the affected farmers to have their maize dried by exposing it to sunlight before being brought to the agency for purchase.
He said according to officers at the depot, the affected farmers where given four days in which to expose their grain to sunlight.
He however mentioned that despite it being exposed to sunlight for four days, it will have to be subjected to scientific proof in order to ensure that it reaches the recommended moisture content of 12.5 percent.
“The reason we do this is because we want to ensure that the purchased grain is within acceptable standards of moisture content,” he said.
He revealed that the situation at the depot is now back to normal and that officers have started buying the grain after being subjected to scientific processes.
He has assured the stakeholders not to worry that the agency is prepared for the eventualities stating that the agency has been in the business for a long time and that certain things are anticipated before they happen.
