News / National
Zimbabwe imports over 50 000 metric tonnes of fertilizer
29 Dec 2013 at 04:16hrs | Views
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister Dr Davis Marapira said the country will soon take delivery of over 50 000 metric tonnes of imported fertiliser for distribution to small-scale farmers under the Presidential Agricultural Input Support Scheme after local manufacturers ran out of the commodity.
Dr Davis Marapira told The Sunday Mail last week that: "seed distribution has reached 90 percent. We are, however, still struggling with regards to fertiliser distribution and we are now importing the commodity to complete the Presidential Agricultural Input Support Scheme."
"Our local suppliers no longer have enough quantities. We have imported 50 000 metric tonnes of fertilizer. The bulk of the fertilizer has not yet landed in the country but we are hoping to complete the distribution by end of this month," said Dr Marapira.
He said the expected consignment contains 20 000 metric tonnes of compound D while the remainder was ammonium nitrate (AN). Local fertilizer companies said they were prioritising cash purchases due to the liquidity constraints on the market.
Zimbabwe Fertilizer Company (ZFC) marketing executive Mr Justin Chamuka said sufficient stocks were available for non-credit customers. "Due to the prevailing liquidity crunch, we are unable to sell our current stocks on credit as Government wanted," said Mr Chamuka.
"We have no option since we also acquired our raw materials on credit and our suppliers are now demanding their money."
Windmill (Pvt) Ltd chief executive Mr George Rundogo said his company was equally affected by liquidity challenges and compound D fertilizer stocks were running low. "Windmill is also facing a liquidity challenge and we cannot offer credit right now. We have enough AN, but compound D quantities are not enough.
However, we will continue supplying to the Government while we look for resources to pay our suppliers," said Mr Rundogo.
He said other creditors were also struggling to pay them, thereby worsening the situation.
Dr Davis Marapira told The Sunday Mail last week that: "seed distribution has reached 90 percent. We are, however, still struggling with regards to fertiliser distribution and we are now importing the commodity to complete the Presidential Agricultural Input Support Scheme."
"Our local suppliers no longer have enough quantities. We have imported 50 000 metric tonnes of fertilizer. The bulk of the fertilizer has not yet landed in the country but we are hoping to complete the distribution by end of this month," said Dr Marapira.
He said the expected consignment contains 20 000 metric tonnes of compound D while the remainder was ammonium nitrate (AN). Local fertilizer companies said they were prioritising cash purchases due to the liquidity constraints on the market.
Zimbabwe Fertilizer Company (ZFC) marketing executive Mr Justin Chamuka said sufficient stocks were available for non-credit customers. "Due to the prevailing liquidity crunch, we are unable to sell our current stocks on credit as Government wanted," said Mr Chamuka.
"We have no option since we also acquired our raw materials on credit and our suppliers are now demanding their money."
Windmill (Pvt) Ltd chief executive Mr George Rundogo said his company was equally affected by liquidity challenges and compound D fertilizer stocks were running low. "Windmill is also facing a liquidity challenge and we cannot offer credit right now. We have enough AN, but compound D quantities are not enough.
However, we will continue supplying to the Government while we look for resources to pay our suppliers," said Mr Rundogo.
He said other creditors were also struggling to pay them, thereby worsening the situation.
Source - SundayMail
