Revelations that have been made by the ADMARC General Manager that there is a cartel of top officials from both government and private sector that is deliberately frustrating operations of ADMARC for selfish personal gains are not just shocking but also counterproductive.
However, as farmers in Malawi we are not surprised with this revelation considering how ADMARC has operated for the past decade. ADMARC has diverted from its mandate and has grossly failed farmers in its operations. It is for this reason that Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) releases this Statement in order to add our voice to the battle that ADMARC General Manager and Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture have initiated to free ADMARC from the so called cartel.
As key stakeholders in the agriculture value chain, we understand the critical role a functional ADMARC can play in contributing towards attainment of the country’s agriculture transformation and commercialization drive as envisioned by the first pillar of the Malawi 2063 Agenda. Hence, we cannot stand on the sidelines when this strategic institution is being captured.
Farmers in Malawi have for long suffered from this cartel and we join the current voice of reason that demands a complete end to this in order for the country to achieve meaningful agricultural growth. The continued late entry of ADMARC on the market clearly manifests the operations of the cartel masters who usually buy the produce from the farmers at exploitative prices and sell the produce to ADMARC at premium prices.
It is even being reported that some officials from the Ministry of Trade are supporting this cartel by issuing certificates to briefcase cooperatives to enable them access selling quarters from ADMARC at the expense of legitimate farmer cooperatives.
It is therefore our strong conviction that the continued sidelining of the deserving farmers through the operations of this cartel is defeating government’s efforts in developing agriculture and is condemning farmers into poverty thereby trapping them into perpetual dependence on subsidies.
One prominent promise that Tonse Alliance made during its campaign is the reform of the ADMARC functions so that it becomes more farmer-centric and support commercialization of the country’s agriculture sector. We therefore believe that this is now time to act and get rid of this cartel in order to bring ADMARC back on track.
We therefore request the State President and state institutions such as the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), the Competition and Fair Trade Commission (CFTC), and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to act on the revelations by the ADMARC General Manager and stamp-out this cartel. It has to be done NOW.
Signed:
Frighton Njolomole
President, Farmers Union of Malawi
| About Farmers Union of Malawi The Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) is an umbrella organization of farmers and farmer organizations in Malawi. The mission of FUM is to safeguard and promote the interest of producers and create an enabling environment for agricultural productivity, market access and increased incomes. FUM’s Strategic Areas of Operations are: Policy Analysis and Advocacy, Institutional Capacity Development, and Agribusiness and Markets. |