Inputs cost worry farmers

13 Sep, 2019 - 00:09 0 Views
Inputs cost  worry farmers Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister, Vangelis Haritatos

eBusiness Weekly

Prosper Ndlovu

AS preparations for the 2019/20 summer cropping season gathers momentum, farmers are worried about the high cost of inputs at retail outlets, which are likely to frustrate adequate planting.

Recent regional and domestic meteorological forecasts have predicted normal rains with a bias towards above normal in some areas, which gives hope that the agriculture sector is set to record positive growth.

Although Government has set aside $3,6 billion to support the forthcoming cropping season, farmers say the prevailing retail inputs cost in many outlets are prohibitive.

Agriculture, Lands, Water and Climate Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos, is on record saying Government wants farmers to plant crops early and that procurement of inputs for both Command Agriculture and Presidential Input Scheme, was underway with distribution expected to commence by end of the month.

However, a snap survey conducted at local seed retail outlets, has shown that maize seed price is pegged between $100 to $116 for a 5kg bag, $220 to $250 for 10kg, $75 for 2kg and $700 to $750 for 25kg, depending on varieties and shops.

A 10kg of sugar bean seed goes for $156, while cowpeas seed is sold for $35 for 2kg and $75 for 5kg. Small grain seed like millet and sorghum goes for $35 for 2kg and $75 for 5kg. Meanwhile, a 50kg bag of fertiliser is sold for $325 for Compound D and $364 for Ammonium Nitrate.

Farmers worried

Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) president Abdul Nyathi, said farmers across the country were worried about such level of input costs and were pinning their hopes on Government intervention.

“The input prices we are seeing have taken the farmers, both commercial and communal, off the radar when compared to what we are paid for selling our grain to GMB. As things stand, there is no way farmers can plant when rains start. Even if you are to get a loan, it cannot match these price levels,” said Nyathi.

“We are engaging Government and putting pressure on this issue to be addressed. The ministry (agriculture) is talking about Command Agriculture and the Presidential Input Scheme and we hope these will cover every individual farmer in the country. Otherwise without a subsidy, the high pricing means all farmers will stop buying from public outlets.”

Fuel supply remains critical

Farmers have expressed concern over fuel supply that remains problematic with pump price now pegged at $10,25 per litre. Fuel price has been going up since beginning of the year and now the prices vary due to transport cost and areas where farming takes place is where the product is more expensive.

Agronomist, Dingaan Ndlovu, said the erosion of incomes following the switch to local currency, has resulted in widespread lack of capital and farmers have been the hardest hit.

Of the $3,6 billion set aside for agriculture, Treasury has said $2,8 billion is reserved for Command Agriculture (maize and soya beans), $780 million for the Presidential Input Support Scheme and $120 million for the Agriculture Input Guarantee Scheme. Input schemes are set to chew up $1,9 billion. In order to wean the sector from rain-fed agriculture, particularly, in the wake of climate change, $178 million has been channelled to irrigation development.

This year many farmers, mainly tobacco farmers were disappointed by prices and majority of them did not buy seed to plant.

Zimbabwean economy remain agro-backed and there are a number of companies, some listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, that depend on agriculture. When the agriculture sector suffers, these companies are also badly affected and there are many firms that rely on agriculture through backward and forward linkages. Seed, fertiliser, chemicals and tillage implements suppliers and those in agro-products value chain are major beneficiaries of the agriculture sector.

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