By Phillimon Backson
The Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) has urged the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) to intensify inspections across markets to curb vendors who are purchasing produce from farmers at prices below the government-set minimum farm gate prices.
FUM Executive Director, Jacob Nyirongo, says the trend is negatively impacting farmers, warning that many risk making losses due to unfair pricing and exploitation by unscrupulous traders.
Nyirongo observed that some vendors are deliberately taking advantage of farmers, particularly in rural areas where access to reliable market information remains limited.
Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, set minimum farm gate prices for key crops, with maize pegged at K900 per kilogram, soya beans at K1,700 per kilogram, shelled groundnuts at K3,500 per kilogram, and unshelled groundnuts at K2,000 per kilogram.
