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{
    "id": 774390,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/774390/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 237,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). To me, this is some sort of liberalisation of the services of warehousing, especially when it comes to produce. A legal framework will ensure that we have an organised sector and that the farmers keep their produce in good shape. The introduction of the Warehouse Receipts System gives the famer a sense of ownership of his produce. It is more trusting to talk to a farmer who has a receipt from a warehouse than one who has stored maize somewhere in the field. The receipt acts as proof of ownership of some commodity. It gives the farmer mileage in terms of negotiations. If you, probably, want some money you will be able to show this receipt. This is another level of upgrading the farmer when it comes to ownership. This receipt is proof of ownership that can used to trade and improve the livelihood of all farmers. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, sometimes the NCPBs warehouses are so much apart that it is not easily accessible by farmers. If we open up this sector through this Bill, private individuals will be licensed to open warehouses for farmers’ produce. This is because through this framework, there will be checks and balances. The Bill provides for storage system. Currently, each and every farmer stores his produce in his own way. However, with an organised system of storage, there will be a proper record, inspection and even grading of the produce. This assures us in quality. We will trust more the produce that is in a warehouse, receipted, inspected and graded than produce that is delivered from the farm. This is organising further the farming methods of our farmers. We are providing them with a legal framework. It also guarantees quality. This quality will be maintained all the time in the warehouse. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it also guarantees that the quality would improve with better warehousing than the quality used by our farmers today. It would be better handing of our produce. Therefore, the warehousing system is definitely going to be better for us. We have had very poor handling of our produce in the farms to an extent that some reports indicate that a lot of the food gets contaminated with aflatoxin right from the farm. We therefore end up having a lot of contamination and poor storage. We have witnessed a lot of deaths in this country occasioned by the poor handling of our produce. I attended a conference sometime back where it was disclosed that most of the aflatoxin related diseases are so rampant to an extent that it is being suspected that a lot of cancer cases are arising out of the contamination of food. It goes a long way to have a proper system, ensure quality and help the farmers in handling of their foods. This Bill will address some of the problems such as the aflatoxin incidents that we have had. It also addresses the diseases that arise out of poor handing of food. According to me, this is a Bill that should have been there all along. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to support."
}