-Itezhi tezhi district in central Province will receive 690,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer under the Fertilizer Input Support Programme (FISP) for the 2013/2014 farming season.
ZANIS reports that Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Greyford Monde confirmed the Development in a telephone interview, today.
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Mr. Monde said that the government is maintaining the same number of beneficiaries for the district.
He explained that farmers will be required to contribute K100 for each bag of fertilizer and will contribute K400 for a total of four bags.
And Mr. Monde has urged farmers in the district to avoid selling their maize to exploitative briefcase businessmen.
He said that farmers need to be patient and sell their hard earned produce at a better price to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
He said that FRA cannot buy maize in Itezhi tezhi at the moment because the Moisture content is still high estimated at 13%.
“We understand that the farmers have some challenges and other pressing demands but they should be patient so that they sell their maize at a good price, FRA only buys when moisture content is about 12%” Mr. Monde said.
He also advised farmers in the district not sell of their maize but that they should keep some for family given that the district is facing hunger.