Gov’t Directs Banks in Kasama to Extend Working Hours to Clear Farmer Payments
Government has directed banks in Kasama to extend their working hours in order to fast-track payments to farmers who supplied maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
Acting Minister of Finance and National Planning, Mr Chipoka Mulenga, said Government expects all farmers in Northern Province to be paid by Friday this week.
Mr Mulenga expressed concern that some banks had not yet begun disbursing funds to farmers, despite Government releasing the current tranche of payments on 30 December 2025.
He explained that while some banks received the funds on time, payments could not be effected because the FRA had not provided the required payment schedules.
According to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS), the Minister was speaking during a tour of selected banks in Kasama, where he assessed progress on the payments and interacted with farmers who are yet to receive their money.
He, however, welcomed assurances from the Food Reserve Agency in the province that the payment schedules would be released immediately to enable banks to proceed.
“It is unfortunate that even when some banks received funds as early as 30 December 2025, the FRA had not provided payment schedules until now. We have therefore agreed with the banks to extend their working hours so that farmers can be cleared by Friday this week,” Mr Mulenga said.
The Minister reaffirmed Government’s commitment to ensuring farmers are paid within the stipulated timeframe, stressing that President Hakainde Hichilema’s directive on timely payments remains in force.
Mr Mulenga, who also serves as Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, attributed part of the delay to the unusually high volume of maize purchased during the 2025 maize marketing season.
“Money is sitting in banks, but farmers have not been cleared. This challenge is not only in Kasama but across the country. We are working to ensure that all farmers are paid by the end of this week,” he said.
Meanwhile, FRA Northern Province Marketing Coordinator, Mr Timothy Chanda, disclosed that the Agency has introduced new payment methods aimed at ensuring all outstanding payments to farmers are completed by Friday.
