Resuming operations at solar milling facilities run by the Zambia Cooperative Federation (ZCF), according to Agriculture Minister REUBEN MTOLO, might lower mealie meal costs.
According to Mr. MTOLO, if properly managed, solar milling mills have the ability to produce mealie meal at a reduced cost.
He has given ZCF the go-ahead to encourage cooperatives to sell some of their maize to facilities using solar energy for milling.
ZCF Director General JAMES CHIRWA stated that the majority of cooperatives did not feed maize to the plants during his recent tour to 842 milling facilities.
The goal of the solar milling facilities, according to Mr. CHIRWA, is to make mealie meal from maize supplied by small-scale farmers.