Farmers in the northern Lesotho district of Leribe, 94km from the capital, Maseru have pledged their commitment to increase productivity in 2010, following a positive response towards their long standing challenge of absence of market for crop production.
This was expressed at a meeting of farmers and the managing director of the newly established milling company known as Nala Milling, Janki Sets’abi, who said his company will be fully operational in the district next week.
Sets’abi reassured the Leribe farmers of steady market of the local crop produce with prices set to influence highest production and sustainable supply.
”This is hoped to ultimately reduce dependence from heavy importation of food products from South Africa,” he said.
For the farmers, Phamola Nts’ekhe said with the establishment of the milling company, farmers in Leribe will be inspired to produce more food, adding that their efforts have always been thwarted by lack of a market.
”The lucrative prices that the managing director of the Nala Milling Company has promised to pay when buying our produce are enough motivation for us,” he added.
On behalf of the government, the District Agricultural Officer, Tlali Lekhela commended the Nala Milling Company for the vision, which he described as a giant step and a record setting towards rewriting history in food production in Leribe district.
The farmers were selling a ton of maize at around $160 in South Africa against the production cost that was over $200.
The Nala Milling Company is promising to buy a ton of maize at $228 and a 50kg bag of beans at $75 against $35, which is the South African market price for the Lesotho beans
Source African Press Agency
