Concern over hike in agric inputs prices
The Herald 17/10/2018
Elita Chikwati and Mary Muradzikwa
Farmers have expressed concern over the increase in prices of agricultural inputs such as seed, fertilisers and herbicides.
Most farmers said they were now relying on Command Agriculture to sustain their operations, while some communal farmers were banking on the Presidential Well- Wishers Inputs Scheme.
A survey by The Herald yesterday showed that most retailers, both informal and formal, had hiked the price for fertiliser with a 50 kilogramme bag of Ammonium Nitrate selling at between $55 and $65 while Compound D was not available in most retail outlets but was reported to be selling at $55 per 50kg bag.
A 5kg bag of maize seed costs between $17 and $18,50 depending on the variety while a 10kg bag costs between $32,50 and $40 while a 25kg bag is selling for between $79 and $88.
Most retailers were accepting bond notes, EcoCash and swipe while other retailers said they were only accepting cash for maize seed.
Some retailers said they were selling herbicides such as Roundup in foreign currency and were willing to negotiate if a farmer had cash. The retailers said a farmer could swipe half of the cost of the commodity and pay the balance in cash.
Fertiliser prices ranged between $31 and $37,50 per 50kg bag while in 2016-17 season they were selling at $27 for the same quantity.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union president Mr Wonder Chabikwa said farmers were were taken by surprise.