Joyce Josephy, a maize farmer and Ayisene Khulupa, a beans farmer, told Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe and Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture on Wednesday that increased prices of farm inputs is forcing them to sell their beans to vendors at K700 per kilogram so as to repay the loans.

"We are not reaping from our sweat because vendors offer us very pathetic prices. But since we want money to square loans we obtained to buy inputs,  we settle for anything. So we ask the government to come in with better markets," Khulupa said.

Mphuka Cooperative Chairperson Steve Chidakwa told Zodiak Online, that they are banking on a K10 million loan from National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) and a grant from Agriculture Commercialization (AGCOM) project to purchase the crops for value addition, but feared the delay to receive the funds will continue exposing farmers to unscrupulous vendors.

Meanwhile, after visiting the schemes,  both Minister Lowe and Committee vice chairperson Ulemu Chilapondwa, assured the farmers that they will lobby Parliament for more funds in the next budget towards farmers welfare and link them to money lending institutions.

"The farmers' concerns are valid, as government we are working on mechanisms which would ensure that farmers have better markets and benefit from their sweat. Among others, we will link up to micro finance institutions and other partners to access soft loans and grants," Lowe said.

Vendors continue duping farmers despite government setting the minimum farm gate prices, a thing some faulted it on lack of enforcement.

Farmers in Mphuka irrigation schemes grow maize and beans among others.