Government in Northern Province says it has started addressing the
seemingly shortage of fertilizer which has hit some Districts.
In his appeal to farmers for patience, Northern Province Deputy
Permanent Secretary Boniface Mbuzi said that government has procured
undisclosed tonnes of fertilizer from Tanzania to help cushion the
shortage.
Mr. Mbuzi added that some trucks carrying fertilizer have since been
cleared at Nakonde boarder and are on their way to respective
districts.
But some farmers in Nseluka area of Mungwi District say they will not
apply the delayed fertilizer in their maize fields this farming season
claiming the crops have already gone to waste.
Farmers made the remarks in an interview stating that they have
decided not to apply fertilizer but rather store the commodity for the
next farming season owing to the late distribution of the farming
inputs.
They charged that many crop fields in the area have gone to waste
stating that the state of affairs will adversely affect the harvests.
They have since appealed to government to consider distributing the
inputs for the 2017-2018 farming season in time.