The distribution of top dressing fertilizer has started in Pemba district amidst complaints of the commodity not being enough to cater for all the beneficiaries.
Warehouse Manager Moonga Habeenzu confirmed to ZANIS yesterday afternoon that so far 3000 out of 18,000 x 50kg bags of fertilizer meant for the district have been delivered to the depot by Miombo investments.
Mr Habeenzu said the two exercises of receiving and distribution of fertilizer to farmers would run concurrently so that farmers are able to apply the fertilizer to their crops whilst it was still raining.
However, Mr Habeenzu disclosed that he had received complaints from some cooperatives and clubs that the beneficiaries were sharing packs.
And some beneficiaries from Chilundu cooperative in the district told ZANIS that they were paired to share one pack.
The members who sought anonymity said they wondered as to whether the fertilizer allocated to their cooperative was not enough to cover all the members or the committee had tempered with it.
“Some members were sharing a bag of fertilizer and seed while the lucky ones were getting a bag each,” the source said.
Mr Habeenzu suggested that it was imperative that a monitoring system be put in place to ensure the distribution in clubs and cooperatives was conducted in a fair manner and that intended beneficiaries were reached.
Meanwhile, Kanchomba South Camp Treasurer Allen Mweemba told ZANIS in an interview that the sharing of packs was brought about by the number of packs sent to cooperatives not being equivalent to the number of beneficiaries.
Mr Mweemba cited Sikaubi cooperative located east of Pemba as having 30 members and Nachifuwa 80 but only received 40 and 15 packs respectively.
He said the cooperatives had no option but to ask the members to share the packs so that everyone benefited.
He appealed to the government to allocate packs that were equivalent to the number of registered beneficiaries to avoid the sharing of packs.
A full pack comprises two bags x 50kg basal and two top dressing fertilizer and a 10kg bag of seed.
ZANIS
Paya Farmer PF!!
If you are real farmers stop depending on free fertilisers. Open your eyes and look at other things you can grow, man can not survive on maize alone. There are so many crops you can grow to feed your families. Most of you have cattle but you still want to depend on free fertiliser, sell cattle and you can get enough money to buy fertilisers.
Kashimani you are on welfare in America and you condemning your farmers for doing so even when they feed the masses. Food is heavily subsided in U.S. That’s why there is
Less hunger issues