Farmers fret over fertiliser prices

INSUKAMINI Irrigation Scheme farmers have said they have resorted to buying less suitable fertilisers and inputs due to the cost of genuine ones.

In an interview, the scheme’s managing committee chairperson Mr Nicholas Mafika said irrigation farmers are forced to buy Compound D fertiliser due to the high cost of calcium nitrate, a development which is affecting their yields.

“We are using wrong fertilisers which are not recommended for the crops because calcium nitrate fertilisers are more expensive hence reducing the quality of our crops as we opt to use Compound D fertiliser,” he said.

He added that crops like tomatoes, cabbages and potatoes were the hardest hit.

Mr Mafika said they were also facing the same problem in acquiring pesticides.

“Most chemicals with red labels which we are supposed to use are expensive which is making people to go for green labels which are cheap.

“These pesticides need to be affordable so that we can be able to acquire them to protect the crops with recommended chemicals,” he added.

He said the cost of inputs remains largely high, and this is worsened by their unavailability in local shops where farmers travel to urban centres like Gweru to buy inputs.

“The costs of inputs at Insukamini are too high and its worsening because in our local shops they are not available therefore most farmers travel to urban centres.

“These challenges will eventually affect the grade and quality of the crops,” he said.