AGRICULTURE, Livestock and Fisheries Minister, Dr Charles Tizeba
AGRICULTURE, Livestock and Fisheries Minister, Dr Charles Tizeba, has urged fertilisers suppliers to adhere to government indicative prices.
Speaking at the official opening of a
fertiliser stakeholders’ forum held in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the
minister said the indicative prices were aimed at helping smallholder
farmers increase food production in the country.
He said the government had set prices
for two fertilisers – DAP at 56,000/- per 50-kilogramme bag and urea at
43,000/- for a 50-kilogramme bag in all regions and districts. He said
that the price varies from region to region and district to district,
depending on the cost of transportation and other costs.
“We need to see our farmers increase
production of food. The indicative fertiliser prices must be followed by
all sellers. The government will ensure that the prices are followed by
all traders in the country. Failure to do so will amount to punitive
measures,” Dr Tizeba warned.
“There is no need for companies to
inflate the prices against the regional indicative prices set by the
government. “It isn’t true that the indicative prices cause dealers to
incur losses,” he said.
The minister urged stakeholders to
collaborate with the government in ensuring farmers are educated on how
to use the fertilisers to enable them increase production.
“Farmers in the country are not aware on
the importance of using fertilizers in increasing production. This is
due to lack of knowledge on the use of fertilisers,” Dr Tizeba said.
The Director of Alliance for a Green
Revolution in Africa (AGRA) for Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda, Nuhu
Hatibu, said that stakeholders through their experts have a big role to
play in ensuring farmers are educated on how to use fertilisers and what
types of fertilisers fit in a certain soil and weather condition.
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