THE Food Reserve Agency ( FRA) has commenced the buying of maize and paddy rice from farmers following the opening of all its satellite depots across the country.
Last month, FRA set the floor price for white maize at K347 per 50- kilogramme bag for the 2026 crop marketing season and plans to buy at least 500, 000 metric tonnes from farmers.
It is set to buy non- genetically modified Grade A white maize at K6.94 per kilogramme, while paddy rice will be bought at K7.50 per kilogramme, equivalent to K300 per 40- kilogramme bag.
FRA spokesperson John Chipandwe said all satellite depots were opened on July 29, 2026 allowing farmers to begin delivering their produce to designated buying points.
The opening of the depots nationwide was expected to give farmers greater access to FRA buying points and facilitate the movement of crops from producing areas into the national reserve system.
“We started buying maize and paddy rice. All the satellite deports have been opened countrywide,” Mr Chipandwe said in an interview.
He emphasised that payments for maize and paddy rice purchased this marketing season would be made digitally, in a move aimed at improving the efficiency and transparency of farmer payments.
Mr Chipandwe said the digital payment system would be used for all purchases made during the current marketing season.
Meanwhile, FRA has bought 28, 495 metric tonnes of maize in Northern Province, equivalent to approximately 569, 900 50- kilogramme bags, as the 2026 crop marketing season continues.
Northern Province acting Permanent Secretary, Beauty Undi- Phiri, revealed that the maize had been purchased as of August 9, 2026, with the agency receiving K200 million in funding to support maize purchases from farmers across the province.
Ms Undi- Phiri said this when she visited Chipya, Kanyata Satellite Depot in Mungwi and Musa Satellite Depot in Kasama to assess the progress of maize purchases.
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