(HERALD) Farming inputs deliveries begin

Farming inputs deliveries begin
By Elita Chikwati

Farming inputs under the Government’s US$210 million Input Support Scheme for the 2009/10 season have started arriving in the country with 675 tonnes of fertilizer being received daily.

A South African company, African Investment Group Inputs, is supplying the inputs, which are coming into the country by rail to make them cheaper for the farmers.

Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Develop-ment Minister Joseph Made said in an interview yesterday that the inputs deliveries started two weeks ago and were expected to be disbursed to the Grain Marketing Board depots so that farmers could access them on time.

The minister said he was happy with the high level of preparedness of the companies that were bringing in the inputs into the country.

"We have average daily deliveries of 675 tonnes of fertilizer.

"The deliveries are now picking up and we have to distribute most of the fertilizers by October 15, especially in the northern parts of the country, for early planting.

"It is critical for all players in the agricultural industry to work towards meeting the planting deadline," said Minister Made.

He said seed houses would also benefit from the facility to encourage seed production.

"We encourage growers to re-establish the capacity of the seed houses to produce enough planting material for the 2010-11 farming season," he said.

"We are appealing to commercial farmers, especially those with irrigation facilities, to venture into small grains seed production."

The minister said seed production was fundamental for high agricultural productivity, food security and household economic development.

Extension staff from Agritex, Mechanisation and Irrigation departments and GMB should go into the field and start holding workshops with farmers particularly to deal with issues that relate to crop husbandry, he said.

"Farmers should be equipped with knowledge on good land preparation, calibration of planters, plant population per unit area and all those factors that maximise utilisation of these valuable inputs," he said.

Minister Made advised farmers to work hard and, thus, be able to repay their loans.

"The inputs are not for free so farmers should emphasise on good crop management and achievement of high yields per unit area.

"Experts from the Government and the private sector who extend knowledge to farmers play a role in making the agricultural revolution a success.

"We want to make the activity a campaign for everybody to produce.

"I am happy with bankers and Government officials we have been working with and I hope the spirit of unity will continue,’ Minister Made said.

Under the scheme, supplies to farmers will not be limited but they have been advised to take inputs that match their area of production as this is real cost.

"We have encouraged fertilizer companies to broaden compounds so that we have fertilizers for different crops. The fertilizers will also include lime and gypsum.

"Dairy farmers who want to produce silage are also welcome," Minister Made said.

Farmers — both small-scale and commercial — have been appealing for assistance in the wake of the introduction of the multi-currency system.

Minister Made said the total package included 125 000 tonnes of Compound D fertilizer, 185 000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, 13 500 tonnes of maize seed and 5 580 tonnes of seed for small grain production.

The inputs will be delivered to 843 GMB depots countrywide and farmers are encouraged to approach their respective banks either as individuals or as groups where release orders or vouchers will be issued to beneficiaries.

The vouchers will facilitate collection of inputs from local GMB depots.