Skinner bemoans cost of 2008-2009 farming season

COMMENT - Time for even commercial farmers to get off chemical fertilizer, and onto locally produced organic fertilizer.

Skinner bemoans cost of 2008-2009 farming season
Written by Justin Katilungu in Mkushi
Saturday, March 28, 2009 8:24:13 PM

MKUSHI Farming Bloc marketing committee officer Bruce Skinner has said the 2008-2009 farming season has seen the most dramatic increase in costs ever experienced by farmers in Zambian history.

In his presentation to President Rupiah Banda who visited the district on Wednesday, Skinner said there was need for the government to assist farmers ride through the turbulent times they were facing if they were to align themselves firmly once the economic upturn happened.

"At the time of planting, compound fertiliser prices shot from K3.3 million per tonne to K8.8 million. Diesel prices doubled from K4,860 per litre the previous year to K8,500 at the time of ploughing and planting the maize crop in the ground now," Skinner noted.

He said the prevailing circumstances had led to huge borrowing from the bank to purchase inputs for maize production which when coupled with the low wheat prices prevailing at the moment worked against farmers in their efforts to settle bank loans as well as borrow more.

"At the moment, commercial farmers are about to start combining and drying early maize at considerable costs to themselves; whilst we respect the need the need to cushion the effects of high prices on the consumer, it cannot be at the expense of production," he said.

Skinner noted that it would be difficult to market early maize whilst millers were buying highly subsidised maize.

"We know that yourselves (government) and the farmers union have held consultative talks on this issue but we stress the urgency in the handling of it.

"Mkushi alone will produce 30,000 tonnes of early maize in April/May and if we lose this market, the results are dire as prices drop quickly once the main crop is available to miller," Skinner warned.

Owing to high input costs for maize production, Skinner observed that there was a significant swing away from the commodity to Soya production in Zambia in the 2008-2009 farming season as it required less fertiliser.

He was saddened that the global economic recession had affected the purchasing power for consumers, especially under the mining sector.

“This has led to the reduction in the amount of poultry consumed and this in turn will no doubt have an adverse effect on the amount of Soya beans required for stock feed to the poultry and pig industry,” said Skinner. “We feel that it might be appropriate this year to allow significant exports of Soya cake to allow the surplus beans to be sold to our neighbours in the region.”