Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Fertiliser shortage affects winter crop

Fertiliser shortage affects winter crop
Dyke Sithole
Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:58:00 +0000

THE current shortage of ammonium nitrate in the country will badly affect the winter crop it has emerged this week. Farmers who spoke to the Zimbabwe Guardian this week said the shortage was affecting their operations adding that ammonium nitrate is in short supply at a time when most of their winter crop is showing signs of stress.

“My crop is at knee level and unless I apply fertilizer now, I am bound to make a big loss,” said Clemence Siziba, a newly settled farmer in the Umguza area of Matabeleland North Province.

Siziba said despite numerous promises by officials from the Zimbabwe Farmers Union, all farmers in his area had not received a single bag of ammonium nitrate.

The farmers also questioned why there was a continued shortage of fertilizer when the Government had reportedly availed foreign currency for the purchase of chemicals required for the manufacture of fertilizer.

An official at Tshabalala Grain Marketing Depot said the depot ran out of the product last week saying she was not sure when the next delivery would be made.

The fertilizer shortage comes as a major blow to the country amid the world wide increase in food and fuel prices.

With the price of bread currently at Z$30billion, the failure in the winter wheat crop is likely to lead to a continuous sharp rise in the price as Government will be forced to continue importing wheat.

Labels: FARMING, FERTILIZER, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 6:01 PM