. Simuusa

By JAMES KUNDA –

GOVERNMENT has released another K50 million to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for the payment of farmers in selected districts, bringing the total amount of money released for the exercise to K800 million.

Agriculture and Livestock minister Wylbur Simuusa said in an interview that this left a balance of only K200 million from the K1 billion FRA owed farmers.

“Another K50 million has just be released to the FRA to pay farmers in selected parts of the country and this brings the total amount of money paid out by the agency to K800 million. We will endeavor to clear the balance of K200 million by the end of this year,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Simuusa said the delivery of Urea fertiliser was progressing at an expected rate with 60,000 metric tonnes of the commodity delivered to the designated districts.

He said Government had procured 103,000 metric tonnes of the commodity from Saudi Arabia and as of this week, 60,000 metric tonnes of the fertilizer had reached the intended districts.

“About 60,000 metric tonnes of urea has been delivered to the districts and by early January, all the farmers would have received their allocations,” he said.

Mr Simuusa also said Government had successfully completed the delivery of 103,000 metric tonnes of compound-D fertilizer to farmers countrywide.

Government had equally delivered subsidised seed to all the farmers ensuring that they were geared for the planting season.

“The delivery of farming inputs has progressed according to plan and as Government, we will ensure that the exercise is always prompt to enhance productivity among farmers,” he said.