By Maimbo Mweemba
Government says the delay to flag off the distribution of fertilizer and seed to farmers is due to an audit taking place in the ministry.
Agriculture Minister Reuben Phiri said the audit is being undertaken to establish if the figures that the suppliers say they sent out to the different depots are the actual amount.
Mr Phiri also said Government is working to equalise the value of inputs collected under the farmer input support program (FISP) for beneficiaries who use the E-voucher system.
‘Government has noticed an imbalance in the value of inputs that farmers under the E-voucher collect compared to those on the direct supply system, the experts in the ministry of Agriculture are working to balance the value of inputs collected through E- Voucher with the one on the direct supply system,” he said.
Mr Phiri said the farmers who receive inputs through the E-Voucher collect less.
He said everything else on the FISP will remain the same for the 2021- 2022 farming season.
Mr Phiri also said the price of fertilizer will remain the same because the current stock was rolled over for two years with 2021 being the last year.
