Fertiliser boost for tea growers

Tea growers in Honde Valley  who have been failing to access fertilisers, have received a timely boost after Sable Chemicals offered to provide them with inputs through a Ford Foundation loan facility being administered by FBC Bank.

The farmers said the shortage of fertilisers would result in reduced production for this season.

In an interview, Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union tea commodity provincial chairman Mr Charles Sanhanga said Sable Chemicals had offered to assist the farmers to ensure they continued producing.

“After Sable Chemicals heard our plight, they came to us and offered to supply us with fertilisers,” he said. “The company will be paid through a revolving fund from the Ford Foundation that has been sitting idle for years due to some administration problems.”

Mr Sanhanga said the Honde Valley Tea Growers’ Association received a grant from the Ford Foundation in 2012 through the Agricultural Development Trust, but farmers had only accessed loans once.

He said due to some administration challenges and defaulting by some farmers, the facility had been lying idle.

“For now we cannot say much on how the deal will work, but Sable has promised to engage the bank so that they come up with a framework that works for everyone,” said Mr Sanhanga.

“What we can say is that the bank will directly pay Sable chemicals for inputs that farmers access from the revolving fund.”

Mr Sanhanga said the intervention would help boost production.

He said although the province had been affected by the prolonged dry spell, this season’s tea crop had not been affected much.

“The tea crop in Honde Valley has not been affected much by the dry spell because it can withstand harsh weather conditions,” said Mr Sanhanga. “Honde Valley rarely goes for long periods without rain, even during the dry seasons, so our crops rarely suffer moisture stress.”