The Government’s decision to allow fertilizers to be imported duty- free is a commendable move that is expected to boost crop production this coming summer cropping season.
Government has announced that it will allow the importation of 450 000 tonnes of both basal and top-dressing fertilizers duty-free to bridge the supply gaps ahead of the 2026/27 summer cropping season.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development permanent secretary Professor Obert Jiri said 200 000 tonnes of basal fertilizer and 250 000 tonnes of top-dressing will be imported duty-free as Government moves to improve availability of fertilizers this coming season.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers union (ZCFU) president Dr Shadreck Makombe urged farmers to pool resources and take advantage of this duty- free import window.
He said the duty-free imports will help lower the retail price of fertilizer making the commodity affordable to farmers.
This, Mr Makombe said, will boost production thereby strengthening national food security. Zimbabwe like the rest of the SADC region is expected to receive below-normal rainfall as a result of the predicted El
Nino phenomenon thereby placing greater emphasis on timely planting and efficient management of inputs like fertilizer.
In the past the shortage of fertilizers especially Ammonium Nitrate affected farmers’ yields. We want at this juncture to urge farmers to come up with strategies of boosting production despite the predicted El Nino-induced drought.
These should include adopting climate-smart farming practices and growing traditional small grains as well as short-season varieties that thrive even when rainfall is erratic.
The Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services (Ardas)’s decision to establish drought mitigation task teams in drought prone provinces like Matabeleland South will go a long way to mitigate the impact of the predicted drought.
The Government, we want to believe, has already activated the EL Nino Drought Action Committee (DAC) which was established in response to the 2023/24 El Nino-induced drought.
The committee is made up of ministries representatives, academics, the private sector and development partners and its mandate is to come up with strategies to boost grain production.
It is our fervent hope that DAC is on the ground once again as the country braces for another El Nino-induced drought which scientists have upgraded to a “Super El Nino indicating it will be far more intense.
There is a need to ensure food security despite the drought hence the need for DAC to come up with strategies to boost production even in the face of low rainfall.
