The National Union for Small Scale Farmers in Zambia -NUSFAZ- says the 2022 Crop-Marketing Season has been marred by exploitation especially from private buyers.
NUSFAZ Executive Director Ebony Lolozhi said that the most affected is the soya bean value chain following the recorded increase in output for the crop.
He explains that despite the Food Reserve Agency -FRA- announcing the buying prices for designated agricultural commodities for the 2022 crop-marketing season, the agency has not physically entered the market hence private buyers taking advantage of the situation.
Mr. Lolozhi says the trend has been that after FRA intervenes, it becomes a reference point for private buyers to set their prices but the delay has led private buyers exploiting small-scale farmers.
He says this is discouraging farmers and is concerned that many farmers might not plant soya beans in the next planting season.
