Kalomo UPND Member of Parliament Harry Kamboni has bemoaned the non-payment of farmers in his area by government.
In an interview, Kamboni disclosed that the Food Reserve Agency owes kalomo farmers about K 2.8 million for the maize they sold this year.
He says it is sad that government does not think of how farmers will prepare for the forth coming farming season.
Kamboni stressed that farmers were supposed to be paid three months before the onset of the rains.
“Just imagine the rains are here and most farmers in my constituency have not been paid their money for what they sold to FRA,” said Kamboni. “A total of about K2.8 million is yet to be paid by the government. This is unacceptable because the farmers have to prepare for the forthcoming farming season. The PF govt does not care about the plight of farmers in the country because these farmers have to prepare for next farming season and govt is sitting on their monies.”
The lawmaker also says some farmers in Kalomo have not benefitted from the e-voucher system under the farmer input support program because government did not deposit anything to three thousand farmers voucher account.
Efforts to get a Comment from Southern Province agriculture officer proved futile as he was reportedly out of office yesterday.