THE United Party for National Development government should analyze the economics of agriculture, inputs supply system, production, and marketing and pricing factors before forcing itself to please the farmers, small scale farmer’s development agency-SAFADA director Boyd Moobwe has said.
Speaking in an interview, Mr. Moobwe said that President Hakainde Hichilema had promised farmers that the fertilizer will come down from k800 to K 250 per 50kg bag of fertilizer which is practically impossible.
He said that much emphasis is placed on the production and supply system without an analytical framework to ensure agriculture’s contribution to poverty reduction.
He observed that measures put in place to reduce the cost of inputs may threaten the fertilizer and seed industry and most likely many companies will accumulate losses and eventually close down if not handled properly.
He explained that President Hakainde Hichilema, has come out in the open that the (PF) government has left no money in the national treasury and has left numerous debts amounting to 24 $billion forcing the incoming government to negotiate with creditors on how to restructure the debt payment.
“In this regard, the current political analysis and economic status makes farmers wonder if the prices of farm inputs and farm equipment will really come down this year.
“President Hakainde Hichilema had promised farmers that the fertilizer will come down from k800 per 50kg bag to k250 per bag of fertilizer which is practically impossible.”
“The problem that we have is that all governments including the UPND government have focused on fertilizer with little concern on the markets and pricing factors.”
“Much emphasis is placed on the production and supply system without an analytical framework to ensure agriculture’s contribution to poverty reduction,” he said.
Mr. Moobwe said that the small scale farmer’s development Agency has a solution to reduce the cost of inputs without a direct negative impact on the fertilizer and seed industry.
He explained that the best solution is to promote agriculture diversification, commercialization of small scale farmers and industrialization.
