The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
THE country has more than 200 000 tonnes of fertiliser in stock ahead of the summer cropping season to ensure farmers have adequate inputs to enhance their preparedness for the forthcoming cropping season.
Fertiliser Industry chairperson Mr Tapiwa Mashingaidze said the country had 120 000 tonnes basal fertiliser (Compound D) and 80 000 tonnes top dressing (Ammonium Nitrate AN) that is ready to be moved into the market. The country has a combined demand of 400 000 tonnes of fertiliser for the summer cropping season and 600 000 tonnes annually.
“Our suppliers have brought in a lot of products ahead of the summer cropping season. The products are ready to be moved to the market so that farmers can start buying them. We have a combined 200 000 tonnes of both basal and top dressing fertilisers.
“The only challenge that can be there are the customers and consumers themselves. We hope the Government, which is the major consumer, avails the funds for its perennial schemes such as the Presidential Input Support Scheme and the smart agriculture programmes formerly Command Agriculture and other schemes that are supported by banks,” he said.
Mr Mashingaidze said some of the strategic manufacturers such as Sable Chemical Industries would have to optimise production to ensure that the country does not import much thereby reducing the import bill.
“Our demand of both fertilisers for the summer cropping season is between 400 000 and 500 000 tonnes. So we have about 200 000 tonnes in stock. What it means is that Sable Chemicals will have to work flat out to try and cover part of the deficit. We know they can produce close to a third of what we require. Our objective is to reduce the import bill by producing as much as we can,” he said.
The Government has announced that it has set aside more than $3 billion for the Presidential Input Support Scheme. Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said Government will also expedite the disbursement of agricultural loans by banks and financers. The Government has also remained committed to averting hunger in the country and has also introduced a zero tillage programme Pfumvudza to ensure optimal yield in the wake of perennial dry spells.
