QUESTION OF THE DAY
The Minister of Agriculture did announce that 300 tonnes of fertiliser are already available for farmers in this cropping season. She added that by the end of this month, additional fertiliser will be available but did not indicate the quantity. She however promised that the outcry of the farmers on the lack of fertiliser will be history.
The concerns of farmers who spoke to Foroyaa concerning fertiliser are threefold:
1. The reduced price of D700 per bag at which it was sold last year is still considered high by many farmers, compelling them to buy fewer bags than they need
2. Farmers cannot afford to pay the additional D200 or so due to the cost of transporting the fertiliser to their villages and are therefore compelled to buy less or none at all.
3. Farmers also complaining of the late delivery of fertiliser which should be applied at the right time.
Making fertiliser affordable and an adequate quantity accessible in good time, complemented with quality seeds can make a big difference, especially when farm implements are available.
Foroyaa will get in touch with the agriculture ministry to find out what their exact plans are for fertiliser this cropping season; the price, the quantity, the distribution centres and the time it will be available for sale to the farmers.
