Govt averts AN fertiliser disaster
GOVERNMENT is importing 10 000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate and urea daily to resolve current top-dressing fertiliser shortages while boosting Command Agriculture.
The imports from South Africa and Mozambique began two weeks ago.
Many farmers — both self-financing and Command Agriculure-contracted — have been struggling to get top-dressing fertiliser due to foreign currency allocation hiccups that have seen local manufacturers fail to import raw materials.
Districts have pensively watched their maize turn yellow because of nitrogen deficiencies, raising anxities about Zimbabwe’s prospects of a bumper harvest after a promising start to the season.
In an interview with this paper, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister Davis Marapira said the imported fertiliser was being distributed via rail and road.
“We are happy that Government and monetary authorities have worked tirelessly to ensure adequate and constant supplies of top-dressing fertiliser, which had been a challenge since the turn of the new year.
“The situation has significantly improved as we have moved from supplying 10 000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate and Urea fertilisers a week to 10 000 tonnes daily. This is mainly due to improved foreign currency allocation by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. All the fertiliser coming from South Africa is being transported by road while supplies from Mozambique are being brought in both by road and rail.”
Deputy Minister Marapira added: “Indeed, we are poised for a bumper harvest this year as almost each and every crop is satisfactory, judging from what we have established in our assessment. When we started our first crop and livestock assessment, some crops were not that good, but now they have all improved; giving us hope of an even a greater harvest.
“However, one thing our farmers should work on are weeds, which may affect 70 percent of the total output. When it’s raining heavily and consistently as it is nowadays, weeds are a problem, and that should be dealt with, no doubt.
“The assessment will determine the extent of damaged crops due to heavy rains and pests like the army worm. We will release the total hectarage and harvest projections by mid-February.”
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union president Mr Wonder Chabikwa said, “We are very delighted about the general state of affairs in the fields as most farmers have received top-dressing fertiliser. However, some crops were severely affected by lack of nitrogenous fertilisers, and consequently, yields could be compromised in some areas. We advise our farmers to use urea more than ammonium nitrate as it is more resistant to leaching.”