AfricaPress-Tanzania: YARA Tanzania Limited has commended the government for being strict on the quality and usefulness of fertilisers that would guarantee farmers with high agriculture output.
Speaking two days after Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa launched national deliveries operation for taking free Yara fertilisers to registered farmers countrywide, Yara Tanzania Limited Managing Director, Mr Winstone Odhiambo hailed the government for being very particular on fertilisers sold to farmers.
He said the national institutions entrusted with control of farm inputs researched and satisfied themselves before fertilisers were put into circulation.
“I am thankful to the government for cooperating with us in implementing our company’s initiative that seeks to take free fertilisers to the farmers,” he said.
The fertilisers going to farmers have been tested for their quality and usefulness, Mr Odhiambo said.
The MD said NPK fertiliser being sent to farmers was appropriate for maize and paddy production. “We plan to send to farmers some 12,500 tonnes based on conditions and requirements that have been laid down,” he said, adding that farmers will also be given agronomic support.
Mr Odhiambo praised the government for attaching value to the Yara initiative and giving the company full cooperation in implementing the initiative.
He said Yara Tanzania has received government support since it started 15 years ago, adding that the company has implemented several projects with the support of the government.
The global Norwegian company in June launched an initiative known as Action Africa. It says the initiative’s goal is to mobilise support for 250,000 smallholder farmers in Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Rwanda and Kenya.
Some 40,000 metric tonnes will be distributed to farmers to triple maize production in those countries.
In Tanzania, 83,000 smallholders are projected to receive the fertilisers after meeting application conditions.
