Zanu-PF MP demands probe into high cement, fertiliser prices

ZANU PF Chief Whip and Gutu South legislator Pupurai Togarepi has called for an urgent investigation into the high cost of cement and fertiliser in Zimbabwe, questioning why consumers are paying almost twice as much as their counterparts in neighbouring countries.

Togarepi raised the concerns in Parliament on Tuesday, warning that the widening price disparities were placing an unbearable financial burden on farmers, home builders and ordinary Zimbabweans already struggling with high production and living costs.

The legislator challenged Industry and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu to explain why locally available products were significantly more expensive than similar goods sold elsewhere in the region.

Speaking on a point of national interest, Togarepi requested a ministerial statement detailing the factors driving the price differences, including production, transportation, importation and distribution costs.

However, Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda waived the request for an immediate ministerial statement.

Togarepi argued that the matter deserved urgent attention, particularly as farmers prepare for the 2026/27 summer cropping season.

He cited fertiliser prices as an example of what he described as unjustifiable disparities between Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries.

"In the region, a bag of fertiliser is about US$25. In Zimbabwe today, that same bag is US$50," Togarepi said.

"So the difference, I do not understand why we have this. Is it cost-sharing? Are these people carrying costs that we don't know?"

The legislator questioned why Zimbabwean farmers were being forced to purchase agricultural inputs at substantially higher prices despite operating in the same regional market as their competitors.

He said Zimbabwe had previously enjoyed competitive fertiliser prices compared with other countries in Southern Africa and beyond, making the current situation difficult to understand.

"How do our people produce? We already have a high cost of production," he said.

Togarepi warned that expensive agricultural inputs were undermining farmers' profitability and potentially affecting national food production.

He argued that farmers already faced numerous production challenges, including the cost of fuel, machinery, electricity and other essential inputs.

Adding unusually high fertiliser prices to those expenses, he said, made it increasingly difficult for local producers to compete with farmers in neighbouring countries.

The ZANU PF legislator also expressed concern that Zimbabweans were increasingly purchasing fertiliser from neighbouring countries because of the substantial price differences.

He questioned how imported products could remain cheaper even after accounting for transportation and other logistical expenses.

"That is why we have seen people buying from other countries. Why are they giving us competitive prices to save our people?" he asked.

Togarepi urged Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the fertiliser supply chain to establish whether the price disparities were justified.

He said the inquiry should examine the costs incurred by manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and retailers to determine where the significant price increases were occurring.

The legislator suggested that greater scrutiny was necessary to establish whether consumers were paying excessive prices because of inefficiencies, additional costs or unjustified mark-ups.

He maintained that even fertiliser imported from neighbouring countries could potentially be sold more cheaply than products currently available on the Zimbabwean market.

"I don't know how we can be helped by this Industry Committee if we cannot go to this place and put in our portfolio committee for Industry and Commerce for us to know the justification of these disparities. They are huge," he said.

Turning to the construction sector, Togarepi raised similar concerns over the price of cement, saying the cost of building materials had become increasingly unaffordable for ordinary Zimbabweans.

He argued that high cement prices were making it difficult for families to construct homes and could slow housing development across the country.

The legislator called for greater accountability within the manufacturing and distribution sectors, saying Parliament had a responsibility to ensure that consumers were not subjected to unreasonable pricing practices.

His concerns come at a critical time for Zimbabwe's agricultural sector, with farmers preparing land and securing inputs for the forthcoming summer cropping season.

Fertiliser remains one of the major production expenses for maize and other crops, affecting both commercial farmers and smallholder producers participating in Government-supported agricultural programmes such as Pfumvudza.

High input costs can reduce the amount of land farmers cultivate, limit fertiliser application and ultimately affect crop yields.

The issue also has broader implications for food prices, as increased production costs can eventually be passed on to consumers.

While Togarepi has questioned the justification for the price differences, the actual causes have yet to be established through a detailed examination of the supply chain.

Factors such as manufacturing expenses, energy costs, transport charges, taxes, market competition and distribution arrangements may contribute to pricing differences between countries.

The proposed parliamentary investigation would seek to determine the extent to which such factors explain the disparities highlighted by the legislator.

Togarepi's intervention has placed renewed pressure on authorities to examine the cost of essential commodities and establish whether Zimbabwean consumers are receiving fair value for their money.

With the agricultural season approaching and demand for fertiliser expected to increase, the outcome of any investigation could be significant for farmers seeking affordable inputs and households struggling with rising construction costs.