Maravi

Govt engages bailiffs to recover ADB’s K30bn

Govt engages bailiffs to recover ADB’s K30bn
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata
Friday, January 30, 2009 3:15:46 AM

THE Ministry of Agriculture in Eastern Province has engaged bailiffs to recover over K30 billion in unpaid Rural Credit Facility loans under Africa Development Bank (ADB).

And farmers in Petauke and Chama have finally received inputs under the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP) that they did not get during the 2007/2008 farming season.

Provincial agricultural coordinator Dr Obvious Kabinda said a good number of farmers got medium term, seasonal and long term loans in 2000 and most of them did not pay back.

"There was an agreement for the seasonal. They were supposed to pay back within a year, the medium term was three years and a substantial amount of money was owed from us. Those who failed to pay we had to engage bailiffs so we just recently got the authority to go ahead so we are just now working on the documentation so that we update the records because when a good number of farmers heard that we are engaging bailiffs, they started paying back," Dr Kabinda said.

"We are updating our documents so that when the bailiffs go on the ground they should go with the exact figure which every farmer owes us and I can assure you that by the second week of February the bailiffs will be on the ground."

Dr Kabinda said the loan had gone to over K40 billion with interest and that they had recovered over K10 billion, leaving a balance of over K30 billion.

He said the large amounts of money were owed by farmers in Chipata, Petauke, Lundazi and Katete.

And Dr Kabinda said the government had finally issued 25 metric tonnes of Urea and another 25 metric tonnes of D compound fertilisers to Chama while in Petauke 42.6 metric tonnes of Urea and 42.6 metric tonnes of D compound were given to the farmers.

Dr Kabinda also said they had not yet received reports that some farmers were buying underweight fertiliser from some businessmen.

Labels: ADB, RURAL CREDIT FACILITY, RURAL FINANCE PROGRAMME

posted by MrK @ 3:15 AM