Farmers Engage Government Over Inputs Prices
The government is set to engage seed-producing firms after farmers engaged authorities to protect farmers against the recent unilateral price increases of inputs.
Agriculture, Lands, Water, Fisheries and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka assured farmers that government will engage seed-producing firms and corrective action would be taken.
Speaking at the farmer’s annual conference in Gweru following recent price hikes of inputs, Masuka said:
Government is looking into the issue because we are targeting yet another bumper harvest so inputs should be affordable for our farmers.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union Secretary-General Paul Zakariya said affordability of inputs was an essential factor in farming.
His remarks were echoed by agronomist Tawanda Mangisi who said:
The prices of inputs have to be affordable for us to have more people taking up farming. If prices are affordable it will mean more yields for the country.
Government is targeting another bumper harvest this season, following a historic yield in maize production recorded from the 2020-2021 farming season.
Authorities attribute the good harvests to good rains and farming strategies like Pfumvudza/Intwasa employed last season.
More: ZBC News
