AMA approves wheat contractors to curb leakages

Faith Katete

Herald Reporter

The Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) has published the list of registered contractors for the 2021 winter wheat cropping season to curb side marketing of the controlled crop.

Wheat is a controlled product and should only be sold to Grain Marketing Board (GMB) or a contractor who would have financed the farmer.

Any engagements with other players is not allowed.

In a statement yesterday, AMA said the approved contractors had met all the requirements to be wheat buyers for the season in accordance with the provisions of the Agricultural Marketing Authority Act Chapter 18:24 and Statutory Instrument 140 of 2013.

The approved contractors for 2021 were Central Millers Private Limited, Agripeak Incorporated, Grain Co, Northern Farming, Cicada Farming, Staywell Trading, Paperhole Investment, Finance Aid, Semegal Investment, Framond Trading, and Chiseller Services.

Farmers have this season planted more than 66 000 hectares of wheat during the 2021 winter cropping season with the planted area becoming the third highest since independence. The hectarage is 78 percent of the targeted 85 000 hectares.

AMA, as the regulator, is mandated to transform from a perceived levy collection authority to a robust, responsible and dynamic regulator and facilitator for increased production, enhanced productivity and improved and sustainable agricultural value chains profitability by December 2022.

The authority is also mandated to facilitate business and trade through increased internal and external markets, and creating an environment for increased environmental stewardship, enhanced traceability and sustainable agricultural production by December 2021, among others.

Government has targeted an increase in wheat production to meet national requirement and be self-sufficient.

This is in line with the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy, the Agriculture Recovery Plan and the National Development Strategy 1 and in pursuit of the vision by becoming an empowered and prosperous upper middle income society by 2030. Last season, farmers produced wheat enough to cover nine months’ supply to meet domestic demand.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey