Chikankata farmers cry for more satellite depots
Effie Mphande-Soya beans farmers in Chikankata district have appealed to Government to increase the number of satellite depots in the area.
The farmers say the number of satellite depots for Soya beans are limited in the district.
One of the Soya beans farmers interviewed by ZNBC news says NOT all the satellite depots in Chikankata are buying Soya beans.
NDILA MUTABALI said it is a challenge for Soya beans farmers to sell their agricultural produce to the Food Reserve Agency -FRA- because they have to move long distances to access the satellite depots.
Mr. MUTABALI said transporters are charging farmers exorbitant prices to ferry their agricultural produce to government satellite depots because of the poor road network in Chikankata District.
He explained that Government has been talking about creating more jobs through agriculture but that this will be difficult to achieve if the market is NOT easily accessible.
But FRA Public Relations Coordinator JOHN CHIPANDWE said all the satellite depots are buying all the three designated crops from farmers across the country.