Maravi

‘Kapiri hasn’t received compound D fertiliser’

‘Kapiri hasn’t received compound D fertiliser’
Written by Isaac Zulu in Kapiri Mposhi
Friday, January 09, 2009 5:37:51 AM

KAPIRI Mposhi agricultural coordinator Emmanuel Chileshe
has disclosed that the district has not received about 6,000 bags of compound D fertiliser under the government’s subsidised Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP).

Reacting to area member of parliament Friday Malwa who challenged him to explain why his office was distributing Urea before the basal fertiliser to farmers, Dr Chileshe explained that his office had worked on all necessary documentation relating to the distribution of farming inputs but the other players involved in the distribution exercise had not yet done their part.

Dr Chileshe explained that currently, Nyiombo Investments Limited was playing a dual role of warehouse manager and supplier of the farming inputs.

“Nyiombo Investments Limited is the warehouse manager and supplier of farming inputs this season. And as I speak, about 6,000 by 50 kilogram bags of D-compound fertiliser is not yet distributed to farmers,” Dr Chileshe said. “This commodity is not even in the district yet; and this is not of my own making.”

He further explained that apart from being the supplier for Kapiri Mposhi, Nyiombo Investments Limited has a responsibility of supplying farming inputs to Mumbwa, Ndola and some parts of North Western province as well.

Dr Chileshe also said the fertiliser distribution exercise under the FSP had stressed his office, adding that his department had found itself in an awkward position explaining the situation to cooperatives and individual farmers.

“I am so incapacitated at the moment, but we have time and again explained the position we have found ourselves in to our farmers,” said Dr Chileshe. “And as Ministry of Agriculture, we are really saddened that yields for poor farmers will be adversely affected by this fertiliser distribution exercise.”

Last Friday, Kapiri Mposhi member of parliament Friday Malwa challenged the district agricultural coordinator to explain to farmers why the government subsidised fertiliser distribution commenced with urea and not Compound D (Basal) fertiliser.

Labels: EMMANUEL CHILESHE, FERTILIZER, KAPIRI MPOSHI

posted by MrK @ 5:38 AM