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Agriculture Reporter
GOVERNMENT has ruled out giving assistance to winter wheat farmers this season and urged them to mobilise their own resources by approaching banks and other supporting institutions.Over the years Government availed inputs to assist wheat farmers but production has been declining due to a number of reasons, including constant power cuts.
In an interview, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made said time for handouts was over and farmers should start preparations for the winter crop.
“Government is preparing for the winter wheat programme but farmers should not sit back and wait for handouts. It is the duty of every farmer to start approaching banks and other supporting institutions for resources. Farmers and the private sector should be preoccupied with preparations for the winter cropping season as there will not be free handouts,” he said.
The minister said the period of free handouts was over.
“We want to make sure the stop order system comes to play and becomes effective. All these strategies are beginning to develop as a result of the co-operation with other countries on how best we can assist our farmers.
“We want to create a sense of ‘nothing for free’. We want farmers to make an effort or at least we put in the aspect of a down payment.
“Farmers should understand that even though we are under sanctions, they should work hard and pay for services,” he said.
Under the stop order system farmers get inputs and service on credit and the money is deducted at point of sale of the produce.
Wheat production continues on the downward trend declining from 33 700 tonnes in 2012 to 24 700 tonnes in 2013.
Last year Government planned to raise US$88,4 million to produce 160 000 tonnes of wheat but failed.
“Grain millers who promised to fund wheat production withdrew at the last minute citing the absence of a regulatory framework to guide the contract system.
Some farmers complained that the US$400 per tonne offered by the GMB this year was not viable considering high production costs of about US$1 200 a hectare.
Online Reporter