Farmers appeal to Government over fertiliser prices

This follows reports that farmers are failing to access loans from financial institutions that have put stringent conditions.
Government has, however, announced an additional US$21 million input facility that covers A1, communal and old resettlement areas farmers.

The facility will cover 40 000 farmers in addition to the 400 000 benefiting from the US$30 million announced recently.
This brings to one million farmers getting assistance from both Government and non-government organisations across Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union deputy secretary for grain and cereal commodities Mr Norman Madzinga last week said fertiliser companies are charging higher prices compared to regional markets.

“We would like to appeal to President Mugabe to urgently come to our rescue and put some measures in place so that fertiliser companies charge prices that will allow farmers to achieve parity after marketing their produce.

“Prices of between US$30 and US$36 per bag of fertiliser being charged are simply not affordable. We will definitely see many farmers reducing their hectarage or diversifying into other projects that have nothing to do with food security,” he said.
Mr Madzinga said in the past the availability or non-availability of foreign currency determined the prices of fertiliser.

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