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State Introduces Maize/Fertiliser Barter System
By STEVEN MVULA
GOVERNMENT has introduced an exchange system of fertiliser and maize with small-scale farmers, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Bob Sichinga announced yesterday.
Speaking at a press briefing at his office, Mr Sichinga said the programme will be run jointly with the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) unit under the Ministry of Agriculture.
The minister said the barter system will result in the procurement of 230,000 metric tonnes of maize and that storage facilities for both maize and fertiliser have been enhanced to avoid wastage.
Four 50-kilogramme bags of grade A maize will be swapped with two 50-kilogramme bags of D compound basal dressing fertiliser.
And four 50-kilogramme bags of grade A maize will be exchanged with two 50-kilogramme bags of urea top dressing fertiliser.
Mr Sichinga said the maize/fertiliser exchange programme will be undertaken by the Food Reserve Agency.
He said basal dressing fertiliser (D-Compound) is currently being produced at the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ), which has been rehabilitated at a cost of KR70.4 million.
NCZ is expected to produce 70,727 metric tonnes of D-Compound fertiliser.
Mr Sichinga said Government intends to procure 500,000 metric tonnes of maize to meet the national strategic stock.
He said about 270,000 metric tonnes will be purchased at an estimated cost of KR676 million. The funds will come from a consortium of commercial banks.
Mr Sichinga assured the nation that Government will not stop supporting small-scale farmers.
“The PF government has not stopped subsidising small-scale farmers, contrary to lies being peddled by the opposition,” he said.
He said the PF government will not disadvantage its citizens.
“We will be with you. Our purpose as a government is to help you,” he said.
And Mr Sichinga said maize exports to neighbouring countries are not donations but business deals.
“It must be understood that these maize exports are not donations but are being paid for,” Mr Sichinga said.
He also revealed that the urea fertiliser tender was cancelled because there were irregularities.
“The PF government does not tolerate corruption and that tender process was flawed with irregularities,” he said.
Posted by Editor
on June 13, 2013. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
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Waona
June 13, 2013 at 9:14 am
this is highly subsidized considering the price of 1 bag of fertilizer and 2 bags of maize. so in practice the subsidies are still there.
CHINTU
June 13, 2013 at 9:15 am
I think PF wants to thrive leading us by confusing us.
Is this feasible?
Or a conduit for Stealing.
ben
June 13, 2013 at 9:44 am
How can it not be feasible if me being a farmer i have bags of maize, then i will just exchange as long as i have something remaing for consumption.
CHINTU
June 13, 2013 at 10:53 am
Will explain in details.
CHINTU
June 13, 2013 at 10:57 am
The Plan seem good. But PF goons with their 90 DAYS BUFI….
Do u people honestly think PF will keep this promise??????
Individual criminals in PF want to make money quickly by selling the maize outside Zambia for cash illegally than exchange it with poor farmers.
isaac
June 13, 2013 at 9:16 am
This is commendable move govt has taken. It will enable alot of poor farmers to have atleast two or four bags of fertiliser. Money somehow is hard to find especiall in the rural areas.
isaac
June 13, 2013 at 9:21 am
Subsidy at the production level is recommended not at the consumption level.So PF is on coarse on this one.
chiefdestructer
June 13, 2013 at 9:36 am
The small scale farmer will benefit greatly,Big up Pf
musuma
June 13, 2013 at 10:03 am
this is not a good idea. are the farmers goin to be eating fertlizer? they need money to take thre children to sch, pay for other bills & buy other farming inputs. this is stealin
bkk
June 13, 2013 at 11:40 am
bad reasoning. instead of using the money that they have to buy fertiliser, they can use it for other needs.
edward tembo
June 13, 2013 at 10:05 am
Also check pollution being emmittet by NCZ chimneys too shot.
katwishi
June 13, 2013 at 10:07 am
It used to happen under NAMBOARD,farmers remained poor for years on end.This is an idea from UNIP !
Waona
June 13, 2013 at 10:41 am
you are very right
ntamanyile
June 13, 2013 at 10:24 am
big up Pf on this one
ntamanyile
June 13, 2013 at 10:31 am
its only a famer who can understand this metric. You can exchange some of your maize for umufundo and sell some for other needs.
CHINTU
June 13, 2013 at 10:52 am
The Plan seem good. But PF goons with their 90 DAYS BUFI….
Do u people honestly think PF will keep this promise??????
Individual criminals in PF want to make money quickly by selling the maize outside Zambia for cash illegally than exchange it with poor farmers.
isaac
June 13, 2013 at 11:24 am
Are you ready to substitiate your claim that PF are criminals and want to sell maize outside the ciuntry for quick money? You’re driven by hate ,anger and envy. Be a responsible citizen. I do not care about the so called 90 days as long as things are happening whether in the 125th day or it happens on the 95th day after all my life span and indeed that of many others is way above 90 days so why should me get worried.Be truthful to youself.
Niceday
June 13, 2013 at 1:27 pm
Well said Isaac. Some chaps negativity is really annoying! I can assure you we can never develop as a nation with the likes of Chintu.