The Government through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has assured farmers of timely payments in the 2026 crop marketing season.
Speaking in a phone interview with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Chinsali, FRA Public Relations Coordinator John Chipandwe said with the lessons learned from the 2025 crop marketing season, the agency will this year enhance payment processes to ensure a positive and strengthened relationship with the farmers.
Mr Chipandwe pointed out that 52,379 farmers who supplied 181,569.50 Metric tones of white Maize to FRA during the 2025 crop marketing season in Muchinga Province have been cleared by the agency, adding that the agency has no outstanding payments.
He advised those who were yet to get paid to visit their banks
“Funds for all farmers who supplied Maize to FRA have been released for banks to pay farmers, moreover in order to expedite payments banks have extended hours of operation from 08:00 hrs to 17:00 hrs and branches remain open on Saturdays and Sundays,” he said.
Mr Chipandwe added that government released a total of One Billion, Two Hundred and Thirty-Four Million, Six Hundred and Seventy-Two Thousand, Six Hundred Kwacha (K1,234,672,600.00) for the maize delivered in Muchinga Province
“As we speak, all farmers in the province have been paid. Therefore, FRA is not owing any farmers in Muchinga Province for the maize delivered during the 2025 crop marketing season. If there are some farmers that have not yet gotten paid, they should visit their banks and collect their money,” he said.
Mr Chipandwe said that the inconvenience caused by the payment delay was indeed regrettable.
Meanwhile, farmers in Muchinga Province have appreciated government for releasing funds to pay farmers despite the delay.
One of the farmers talked to, Janet Bwalya said due to the delay in the payments, a number of farmers had challenges in preparing for the 2025/2026 farming season.
” We thank Government for releasing funds to clear outstanding payments because we had lost hope, we didn’t expect that we shall be paid,” she said.
Another farmer, Geoffrey Bwalya, appealed to the Government to pay farmers in good time in 2026 so that farmers could start preparing for the next farming season.
“We are requesting Government to start payments as early as June during this year’s marketing season,” he said.
