ADMARC scandal deepens as third maize spoilage incident exposed in weeks - Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times
A civil society watchdog has demanded an urgent forensic audit and criminal prosecutions after Malawi’s state grain trader admitted losing yet another huge stockpile of maize to spoilage — the latest in a. . .
A civil society watchdog has demanded an urgent forensic audit and criminal prosecutions after Malawi’s state grain trader admitted losing yet another huge stockpile of maize to spoilage — the latest in a mounting string of scandals plaguing the country’s strategic food reserves. Admarc Limited chief executive officer Ben Botolo:ADMARC under fire as watchdog demands prosecutions over K77m maize rot scandalThe National Advocacy Platform (NAP) launched its blistering attack after Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) confirmed that 70 metric tonnes of maize, worth an estimated K77 million, had rotted away in storage at its Liwonde warehouse — and was later flogged off to livestock farmers rather than feeding hungry families. In a scathing statement released on 24 July, NAP branded the loss “another chapter in a growing record of preventable failures,” warning it comes at a time when Malawi is already grappling with food insecurity and soaring maize prices. “Every bag of grain lost through negligence is a meal denied to a hungry family,” the group said, in a statement signed by National Chairperson Benedicto Kondowe and National Coordinator Baxton Nkhoma. And shockingly, the Liwonde disaster is far from an isolated case, according to NAP. The watchdog revealed that ADMARC was forced to dispose of a staggering 12,304 metric tonnes of maize back in 2024 after it was declared unfit for human consumption — a loss NAP estimates was worth a jaw-dropping K8 billion at current market prices. And just days ago, on 20 July, it emerged that a further 4,500 metric tonnes of maize flour, worth roughly K100 million, had also gone to waste in storage. NAP insists the pattern proves the country is facing a full-blown systemic crisis, rather than a series of unfortunate one-off accidents. “These repeated incidents… expose systemic weaknesses in grain preservation, warehouse management, quality assurance, stock rotation, infrastructure maintenance, supervision and internal accountability,” the statement reads. The group went further still, accusing officials of presiding over “a dangerous culture where avoidable losses of strategic national resources appear to attract little or no consequence. ”NAP argued the repeated losses fly in the face of President Peter Mutharika’s own vision of a food-secure Malawi “where no citizen should die of hunger” — insisting that vision means nothing without competent management of grain already bought using taxpayers’ money. The watchdog also warned that official silence in the wake of such scandals is actively eroding public trust, cautioning that unless someone is finally held responsible, negligence risks becoming standard practice within the institution. NAP has now issued three explosive demands to government:Firstly, it wants an immediate, independent and fully transparent audit into ADMARC’s entire grain management system — covering everything from warehouse conditions and fumigation to procurement, quality assurance and disposal procedures — with the findings published in full for the public to see. Secondly, the group is demanding real accountability, insisting that wherever the audit uncovers negligence, incompetence or misconduct, those responsible must face serious administrative, disciplinary, civil or even criminal consequences. “Public service cannot become a sanctuary where billions of kwacha worth of strategic grain disappear through negligence without anyone being held personally accountable,” the group warned bluntly. Thirdly, NAP is calling for a complete modernisation of Malawi’s national grain storage infrastructure, including merit-based appointments for warehouse management, cutting-edge stock monitoring technology, and internationally recognised grain management standards. The watchdog concluded with a stark message for government, insisting true food security isn’t just measured by how much grain a nation harvests — but by how well it protects every single bag entrusted to its care. “Malawi cannot continue losing strategic food reserves while asking citizens to endure hunger,” the statement said. ADMARC had not issued a detailed response to NAP’s explosive demands at the time of publication, beyond its earlier confirmation of the Liwonde loss and the sale of the spoiled maize to livestock farmers. Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :