National Democratic Congress President Chishimba Kambwili says Mealie Meal prices in some parts of the country have hit a record high of K160.
Mr Kambwili said Mealie Meal in shangombo district in the Western province is selling at between K150 to K160.
He has urged Government to consider subsidizing Mealie Meal to enable poor people access the commodity.
Mr. Kambwili says Zambians will die as the majority can not afford to buy the staple food hence the need to reduce them so that the poor peasants can afford.
And Mr Kambwili has taken a swipe at Economics Association of Zambia President Lubinda Habazoka for trying to underplayed the current Mealie Meal prices.
Mr. Kambwili said Dr Habazoka is a let down to the Association and has urged him to be truthful to himself and the association he represents.
Dr Habazoka suggested that there is no need for government to subsidize mealie-meal owing to the escalation in prices.
He said government is already spending huge sums of money on maize by ensuring availability of fertilizer, seed and putting up reserves to buy maize for food security.
Dr. Habazoka said the FISP program is one of the most expensive subsidies Zambia knows and subsidizing mealie meal led to the collapse of Zambia’s economy in the UNIP era.
How much a bag at GBM milling?
Back kambwili, subsidies are nother the best way forward. If we had proper management of our agricultural sector we wouldn’t have these problems. How can a country with abundant land and water resources be struggling to feed itself? And we have people like dora blaming climate change? What a joke! Meantime PF officials have been busy smuggling maize and mealie meal to Congo. A bit of planning is part of the solution. Build some maize sylos, invest in training our farmers properly, so that they can grow into independent producers. Instead we keep them dependent on FIP so that you use it as a campaign tool. What a disgrace. No wonder I keep saying Zambia and Africa are almost hopeless. For every Levy Mwanawasa there are 10 lungus! It’s one step forward and ten steps backwards. Zambian…
MMD finished smuggling. Here in Murundu, Mufulira smugglers took to gardening. Ask MMD for advice. I know one of the ways was for proper Zambian business men to flood DRC with mealie meal and GRZ makes forex and creates jobs locally in the process.
The law of Demand and Supply
Stop promoting laziness in Zambia.The law of demand and supply indeed should be at play.Govt should only help with relief food in areas where there was drought.