SHIKANDA KAWANGA, Livingstone
SOME millers in Livingstone have reduced mealie-meal prices following Government’s decision to allow the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to sell maize at subsidised prices to cushion consumers against the cost of living.
Mealie-meal prices at Mwasimu Millers have been reduced to K56 per 25-kilogramme bag of breakfast and K38 for a 25-kilogramme bag of roller meal.
Mwasimu Milling director Imbwela Mkuwe said the reduction in mealie-meal prices has been necessitated by the access to subsidise FRA maize.
“I want to commend Government for directing FRA to help millers with subsidised maize. We will always reduce when there are such interventions because it’s not deliberate when we hike mealie-meal prices. The cost incurred in transport and access to maize dictates the prices of mealie-meal,” Mr Mkuwe said.
Musanza and National Milling Corporation breakfast in Spar supermarket was selling at K65 and Musanza roller meal was selling at K54 for a 25-kilogramme bag whilst a 25-kilogramme People Pride roller meal bag was selling at K45.20.
The situation in markets was different from that in the supermarkets as the survey revealed that old prices had been maintained in these trading places for various brands of the staple food.
A check at Maramba market showed that a 25-kilogramme bag of National Milling was selling within K72 to K73, while roller meal was maintained at K54 to K56.
The situation was not any different at Dambwa Central market where a 25-kilogramme bag of Musanza breakfast was selling between K72 and K74.
Some retailers talked to in the markets said they had maintained old prices because they were still getting orders from the millers at the old prices.
And a miller who did not want to be identified said the problem with retailers was that they did not want the recommended K3 profit by Government but wanted a K6 margin.
Recently, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Given Lubinda advised consumers to compare prices before buying mealie-meal from expensive retailers.