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has become a perennial challenge affecting agriculture and is the major reason for poor crop yields.
Farmers argued that preparations for the summer season should be completed by August every year.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union executive director Mr Paul Zacharia said agriculture was all about timing. He said the distribution of inputs in December and January reflected poor planning on the part of Government.
“It does not make sense to talk about inputs this time,” he said. “It really smells of poor planning and a disaster ahead of us. Agriculture is about timing of the rainfall window period and if we fail to catch up with that we are bound to fail.”
He said farmers would soon hold an agriculture indaba to discuss challenges they are facing. “We are calling for a meeting where we want to discuss constraints we are facing and establish why we are always behind the farming season,” he said.
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Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Mr Donald Khumalo said Government should now start to prepare for the winter wheat cropping season.
“We have a serious challenge because we should not be talking about inputs now but prospects of our harvests,” he said. “What is frustrating us as farmers is the failure by Government to give us inputs in time every year.
“I think Government should now realign them (inputs) for winter cropping season.”
GMB general manager Mr Albert Mandizha last week issued a statement saying farmers would be notified as and when the remaining inputs from the contracted suppliers would be available.
“GMB will advise farmers through the print and electronic media as soon as the inputs are received.”
He said disciplinary action would be taken against any GMB staff violating set guidance for the input distribution.
Mr Mandizha said GMB depots were now required to allocate available fertilisers to all farmer categories on a pro-rata basis.
He said the inputs should be distributed on a first come, first serve basis with each farmer representing themselves.
The input loan scheme has also been shrouded by allegations of being politicised with farmers complaining that they had failed to access them.
Online Reporter