97% of Compound D Delivered

Minister of Agriculture has disclosed that 41, 313 metric tonnes of Compound D fertilizer, under the Direct Input Supply (DIS) had been delivered by the two contracted suppliers as at 22nd October 2024.

Delivering a ministerial statement in Parliament, Reuben Mtolo said this is out of the procured 42, 775.20 metric tonnes, representing 97 percent delivery rate.

Mr. Mtolo also revealed that Government contracted 11 suppliers to supply 42, 775.20 metric tonnes of Urea, out of which 39, 981.6 metric tonnes has been delivered, representing a delivery rate of 79.44 percent.

He further stated that Government has contracted 779 input suppliers, who applied online as Agro-dealers for the 2024/2025 farming season, and have since been screened and verified.

“Government has put up mechanisms to monitor the performance of these Agro dealers to ensure that malpractices are curtailed,” Mr. Mtolo revealed.

He added that Government has contracted 17 suppliers to supply and deliver various seeds such as maize, rice, cowpeas, sunflower, sorghum and millet, among others.

Mr. Mtolo reiterated that the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) will be implemented using two modalities, which are the Direct Input Supply (DIS) as well as Electronic Voucher or E-Voucher system.

“The DIS will target 285, 168 farmers in 42 districts, while the E-Voucher will target 739, 266 beneficiaries in 74 districts countrywide.”

“Further, training on the FISP modalities for the season by the Ministry of Agriculture staff and Agro dealers commenced on the 26th of August, 2024. So far, the Ministry has conducted four sessions for each of the categories and this is ongoing,” Mr. Mtolo stated.

And Mr. Mtolo said government is advocating for early planting in Southern, Luapula, Central, Copperbelt, parts of Eastern and Northern provinces in view of the anticipated normal to above normal rainfall in the 2024/2025 season.

He urged farmers to ensure optimal field preparation, stating that if no care is taken, there will be serious implications on crop production.

Mr. Mtolo also warned the 1, 024, 434 farmers under FISP against selling subsidized inputs as this is a criminal offence, therefore anyone who will be found wanting, will face the law.

He cautioned farmers against sharing their inputs because they are bonded in their individual capacity as they sign for FISP.

Government has been implementing FISP since 2002 with the aim of providing subsidized inputs to small scale farmers, to ensure food and income security at household level.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Minister disclosed that he is expecting to receive about K500 million from Ministry of Finance and National Planning this week or next week, to pay farmers who supplied maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) during the 2024 crop marketing season.