Wednesday 18 September 2013

Zambia: Govt to Buy Urea From Saudi Arabia

GOVERNMENT will procure Urea fertiliser under the Fertiliser Input Support Programme (FISP) from Saudi Arabia because it is cheaper than local markets, Agriculture and Livestock Deputy Minister Luxon Kazabu has said.
Mr Kazabu said Government had identified Saudi Arabia as one of the cheapest sources for fertiliser procurement.
He urged farmers not to panic as the top dressing fertiliser would be distributed to all the farmers under FISP before the end of December.
Mr Kazabu said Government was making headway to ensure farming inputs were distributed to farmers by the end of December this year.
"This year, Government will procure Urea fertiliser for FISP from Saudi Arabia because it is cheaper compared to the price on the local markets. The farmers will have the commodity by end of December," he said.
Mr Kazabu said Government would ensure that the farming input was delivered to farmers at the right time to enable them plan and prepare for the 2013/2014 farming season.
He was confident that the commodity would arrive in Zambia soon, adding that Government's desire was to ensure that there was adequate supply of farming inputs.
Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) would produce extra basal dressing fertiliser for the 10 districts that were initially earmarked for the E-voucher pilot project.
NCZ has so far produced more than 75,000 metric tonnes of D-compound fertiliser to be distributed under FISP for the 2013/2014 farming season.
Some of the 10 districts are Mazabuka, Monze, Choma, Kalomo, Chibombo, Kapiri and Ndola among others.

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