Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Administration Patrick Kangwa has commended the Ministry of Agriculture for ensuring the importation of fertilizer under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) is not disrupted by Covid-19 outbreak.
Mr. Kangwa says disruption of fertilizer import could have caused a crisis in food production, which would have resulted in a disaster with regards to national food security.
He was speaking when he visited Neria’s Investments Fertilizer Storage sheds in Chipata.
And Agriculture Permanent Secretary Songowayo Zyambo said over 90 percent of fertilizer under the Farmer Input Support Programme -FISP- has already been imported into the country.
Mr. Zyambo assured farmers that the country is secure in terms of inputs for the next farming season.
And Neria’s Investments Limited Chipata Depot Manager Gilbert Malumo said the company has already positioned 98 percent of fertilizer in Eastern Province.
They had billions , yet essentials like fertilizers are being imported……Zambia has a foundation for fertilizer production at nitrogen chemicals in Kafue which should have been a priority to modernise , creating many jobs……….
But because lungu and his gang have got fingers in importation contracts for fertilizer , Zambia will now have to import this essential commodity for decades…….
This is the price Zambians will have to pay for lungus corruption.
Can the powers that be explain how a bag of fertilizer today costs over K500 when last year this time at an exchange rate of K15 to the US dollar it was K290? This increase is approx 75percent as against a mere 6 to 7 percent increase in the exchange rate which is now at K18.5.
Further to this the argument from ferilizer suppliers that the local cost for fuel is also to blame does not hold any water as that cost is infact offset by the drastic reduction in the global price of crude oil which is a major factor considering the whole manufacturing and shipping of fertilizer in bulk is largely dependant on the international fuel price which we are all aware has greatly reduced to the point of it almost being declared a crisis by OPEC and other oil producing nations.
Don’t take the…
Ctn…Don’t take the silence of people as a sign of stupidy. We are watching and we know these fertilizer companies that are exploiting farmers on flimsy grounds. God will judge them accordingly because when you die those ill be begotten riches will mean nothing, the only thing that will matte is leaving a positive legacy where your memory will be one of a person who helped others.
Unsurprising development considering how hardworking the pf government is. I mean,just look at how we handled covid19. We did it better than UK USA and other European nations where thousands have perished sadly. Kz
Such stories should not be making it to print as its just bootlicking …I mean he is the Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Administration and he is a civil servant the best he should do is shut his mouth, how can you commend someone for importing products and making foreigners rich and this fertilizer procurement is so grossly inflated that it just makes the foreigners and the middlemen who are cadres very rich at the expense of the peasant farmer who has to sell his maize at a loss when harvested.
2020vision
Taulati……you ain’t seen nothing yet.
We warned you and lungu.
Fuel is dirt cheap on global markets yet lungu and his gang keep sucking the life out of docile Zambians..
About lungu..
I thought the production of fertiliser has started in kafue, how difficult is it for Zambia to start producing its own kanshi? Busy creating jobs in other countries.