Theseus Mauruki Shambare
Herald Correspondent
GOVERNMENT has opened a duty-free import window for 450 000 tonnes of basal and top-dressing fertiliser to bridge supply gaps ahead of the 2026-27 summer cropping season, as farmers race to secure inputs before effective rains begin.
The measure permits the importation of 200 000 tonnes of basal fertiliser and 250 000 tonnes of top-dressing fertiliser against a national requirement of 780 000 tonnes, amid forecasts of below-normal rainfall linked to a projected strong El Niño.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said while stocks were reaching Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots, onward distribution to wards remained slow.
“On fertiliser, the national requirement for basal and top dressing is 780 000 tonnes. While inputs are reaching GMB depots, the movement to wards has been slow but is gradually gaining momentum,” he said in an interview.
Prof Jiri noted that current supplies fell short of demand, with 13 000 tonnes of Compound D available against a requirement of 60 000 tonnes, while top-dressing deliveries stood at between 40 and 50 percent.
“To meet the gap, Government has opened duty-free imports of 200 000 tonnes of basal and 250 000 tonnes of top-dressing fertiliser,” he said.
Treasury has since released US$10 million to clear outstanding payments and accelerate input deliveries, prioritising farmers who have completed their Pfumvudza/Intwasa potholing under the programme launched nationally on October 9, 2026.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers union (ZCFU) president Dr Shadreck Makombe welcomed the duty suspension, saying it would lower retail prices and ease financial pressure on growers.
“Suspension of duty on fertiliser will help lower the retail price of the commodity and make it more affordable for farmers to purchase and use. This can have a positive impact on agricultural productivity and potentially increase crop yields,” he said.
Dr Makombe urged farmers to pool their resources to utilise the import facility while remaining vigilant over product quality.
“Farmers now need to pool their resources together and make use of that window and import. However, farmers should also be careful when purchasing to avoid cheap things but go for quality,” he said.
Affordable fertiliser, he said, would boost application rates, strengthen national food security and stimulate investment and job creation across the agro-industrial value chain.
Meanwhile, Prof Jiri advised farmers to target December as the main planting window, guided by effective rains of between 20 and 40 millimetres rather than isolated early showers.
Government has also restructured the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme to incorporate full liming and a 50 percent cut in chemical fertiliser use — complemented by manure, compost and foliar feeds — to improve soil health and moisture retention ahead of the dry spell.
The immediate test for the facility will be how swiftly imports are cleared and distributed to farmers at affordable prices before planting peaks.
