Author: SYLIVESTER DOMASA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: FARMERS across the country may again heave a sigh of relief after the latest announcement from the government showed retail fertiliser prices have continued to trend mostly lower.
According to the new prices published by the Ministry of Agriculture in Dodoma, retail price for a 50-kilogramme bag of UREA and DAP—the two key fertilisers for plant nutrition and growth have dropped by 1,316/- and 2,860/- respectively in the 2020/21 season compared to 2019/20 calculations.
Addressing reporters, Agriculture Minister, Japhet Hasunga revealed that the prices have further gone down on farmers importing the commodity through Agricultural Marketing Co-operative Societies (AMCOS).
“We expected the prices to further go down unfortunately due to the forex exchange fluctuations, it slightly reduced from last year… It is the government commitment to ensure the price of inputs continue to lower to help increase access and subsequently productivity among the local farmers,” he said.
The government attributed the fluctuations to the global respiratory infectious disease— Covid-19 pandemic.
Tanzania imports at least 90 per cent of its fertiliser demands, but the minister said the new strategy is to ensure the fertiliser arrives at farmers before the beginning of the farming season.
He directed the regional and district authorities as well as the Tanzania Fertiliser Regulatory Authority (TFRA) to ensure sufficient availability of the vital input to farmers across the country before the end of this month.
This is part of the government’s aggressive push to increase use of fertiliser per hectare from the current 23 per cent to 50 per cent.
On average, farmers in the continent are reported to use less than 11 per cent, but the Abuja declaration of 2014 calls for at least 50 per cent use of fertiliser on a hectare.
“Apparently, this is also a directive from President John Magufuli to ensure access to fertiliser and other inputs are available and on time,” he added.
The statement released by the ministry of agriculture detailed for instance that the 50kg of Urea will be traded in Arusha at (47,775/), Dodoma (46,321/- ), Dar es Salaam (41,462/-), Kigoma (51,546/-), Mwanza (50,583/) and Mbeya (48,689/-).
On DAP, the new price indicates in Arusha it will be 52,991/- , Dodoma (51,627/-), Dar es Salaam (47,951/-), Kigoma (55,962/), Mwanza (55,692/-) and Mbeya (53,885/-).
The minister said on aver age the 50-kg bag of Urea will be sold at 48,070/- compared to 49,386/- in the 2019/20 season.
“The price of DAP on national average will be 55,573/- down from 58,433/- for a 50-kg bag in the previous year,” he noted.
He went on to explain that the cap price for Dap and Urea on AMCOS during the 2020/21 farming season for a 50-kg bag will be 50,000/- and 43,500/- respectively.
Tanzania Fertiliser Regulatory Authority, established a Bulk Procurement System (PBS) of fertiliser mostly Urea and Dap in 2017 in which saw the transport cost for shipping a 50-kg bag dropping from 23,000/- to 2,350/-.
