THE prices of farming inputs have gone haywire, taking the
gloss off the preparations for the summer farming season.
A survey conducted by The Manica Post this week established
that prices of fertilisers, seed maize, sorghum, chemicals, diesel and tillage
services have shot through the roof, thereby leaving many farmers in a
quandary.
Early this week, wholesale and retail prices for seed maize
were hovering between $9 487,50 and $11 068 for 25kg of long season varieties;
$8 222 and $8 500 for the mid-season varieties, while short season varieties
were pegged between $6 325 and $6 600 per 25kg.
The long season varieties (10kg) prices were pegged at $3
795. A 5kg pack was pegged at $1 897, while a 2kg pack was going for $759.
A 10kg pack of mid-season variety was going for $3 289,
while 5kg cost $1 644 and $657 for 2kg.
Sorghum was priced at $4 537 per 25kg, $1 815 for 10kg and
$907 for 5kg.
A 25kg packet of soya beans was going for $5 500. The pricing regime might have a detrimental impact on
resource-poor communal and smallholder farmers who are credited for producing
the bulk of maize in the country.
Farmers’ organisations have already raised a red flag,
arguing that the situation needs to be addressed urgently.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union Trust president, Mr Victor
Mariranyika, said the input prices might push most farmers out of business. “The inputs prices are far beyond many farmers’ reach.
“To make matters worse, the prices are changing every week,
thereby making it difficult for the farmers to plan.
“It is even worse for tobacco farmers who sold their crop
with 50 percent of their money availed at the 1:25 exchange rate. Most farmers
are not accessing their payments on time, thereby exacerbating the situation,”
said Mr Mariranyika.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) executive director, Mr Paul
Zakaria echoed the same sentiments.
“These are runaway prices, and even if you convert them to
the US dollar, you will still discover that they are making super profits. The
2020/21 season will be very difficult for farmers to go back to the fields if
this is not addressed,” said Mr Zakaria.
“Businesses are indexing prices of farming inputs on the
black market rate. The four-tier prices for cash, mobile money, swipe and the
USD is not sustainable. No farmer will make profits under these circumstances.
“Last season, the bulk of the produce was under the Command
Agriculture programme as very few farmers could sponsor their own production.
“This coming season it might be even worse,” said Mr
Zakaria.
He encouraged authorities to ensure that the distribution
of inputs under the Presidential and Command Agriculture schemes will be done
on time.
“Timing is very important. They must be distributed ahead
of time and in adequate quantities,” said Mr Zakaria.
However, he encouraged farmers to work towards being
self-sufficient, adding that where necessary, farmers should even borrow from
banks.
“It should never be Government’s responsibility to do
everything for farmers, we should be moving towards self-sufficiency. Farmers
should be able to provide resources for their own tillage, inputs, labour and
chemicals. We need to reduce the burden on Government.
“Government should focus on provision of infrastructure and
creating an enabling environment for our markets while farmers do the rest,”
said Mr Zakaria. Manica Post
0 comments:
Post a Comment