Malawi News ADMARC CHAIRPERSON CALLS ADMARC DYSFUNCTIONAL

As Treasury proposed the reactivate the commercial division of Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) to participate in the purchasing, processing and exporting of agricultural produce and compete with private sector traders, Admarc board chairperson Felix Jumbe says the State produce trader has been dysfunctional.

True enough, this year Admarc delayed opening its buying market, which resulted into vendors buying from the farmers at very low prices. A study by the African Institute for Corporate Citizenship (AICC) said he prolonged delay to open the Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) for buying season, has deprived farmers of benefiting profits of up to K80million.

Two years later, history repeats itself as the employees are yet again on another nationwide strike as Admarc Welfare Workers Union chairperson John Hassan said the workers have resolved not to return to work until all their demands are met by management. The employers want a salary restructuring agreement which was scheduled to start in March this year, to be implemented; this grievance comes along with urging management to remit about K1.8 billion in pension fund arrears and implement a salary

Government has responded that it will borrow about K2 billion from a commercial bank to clear the pension arrears and some tax liabilities with the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) but the staff were apprehensive of management’s intentions.