ADMARC Seeks 300 Billion for Maize Supplies

photo : ADMARC  depot 

By: Jane Chimchere 

March 14 2025

The Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) is facing a challenging task to ensure sufficient Maize Supplies during  lean season the corporation requires  300 billion Kwacha to purchase 250,000 metric tonnes of maize .

The plea follows the proposed  allocation of 60 billion Kwacha to ADMARC in the 2025/26 national budget.

Speaking to Journalists, Daniel Makata Chief Executive Officer of ADMARC stressed that the corporation has 359 depots across the country that require adquate  funding to maintain sufficient maize stocks .

"The lean season is fast approaching and we need to act swiftly to ensure  that our citizens have access to adquate food supplies.The 300 billion Kwacha will go along way in helping us achieve this goal ." Makata said.

Makata emphasized that the funds will be utilized to purchase maize from both local and international markerts.

"We are committed to supporting our local farmers but also need to explore other options to have enough supplies to meet demand hence in the past 12 months  we need 43 billion kwacha  but we were only given 15 ,7 billion Kwacha and we were unable to do most of the plans that we had planned." He said.

" ADMARC 's expectations  was affected but it does not mean we haven't done some thing ,we are proud so far of what we have been able to start value addition from maize flour , digital marketing and a maize milling plant ."he said.

Welani Chilenga ,co Chair of the cluster committees on Agriculture and Natural resources, expressed concerns about the impact of the lean season on vulnerable communities.

"As a cluster on Agriculture and Natural resources we are in total support of what ADMARC is saying because as members of parliament we need maize supplies in all constituencies from Chitipa to Nsanje ,we feel that this year ADMARC should be given that money before vendors so that all the maize should be bought by ADMARC and be sold to Malawians at a lower price." Chilenga said.

ADMARC has been working closely with stakeholders to develop strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure food security .

ADMARC will bring efficiency amid expectations to get 1.8 billion profit from sales.



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