Nation Purchases over 18 Million Quintals of Fertilizer for Upcoming Cropping Season

Addis Ababa , March 16/2021(ENA) Ministry of Agriculture revealed that 18.1 million quintals of fertilizer have been purchased for the Kiremt cropping season.

Agricultural Inputs and Market Director at the ministry, Mengistu Tesfa told ENA that efforts have been intensified to timely distribute and provide agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, seed, and chemicals for farmers ahead of the rainy season.

According to him, fertilizer constitutes the lion's share from agricultural inputs and the ministry plans to provide 20 million quintals of fertilizer to farmers.

In addition to the 18.1 million quintal purchased new fertilizer for the upcoming cropping season there is 2 million quintals of fertilizer left from the last cropping season, he elaborated.

“Based on the demand of  farmers, 18.1 quintals of fertilizer have already been purchased. Of this, 6.1 million quintals have reached Djibouti Port. We have so far transported 88 percent of the fertilizer from Djibouti to the country.”

The director stated that 5.2 million quintals have been delivered to trade unions from central warehouses and 728,000 quintals of fertilizer to farmers.

Mengistu pointed out that the plan is to fully deliver fertilizer by early July, 2021.

Moreover, there is a need for 1.7 million quintals of seed at the national level during same period, it was learned.

He said,“ this production season, we will provide 1.7 million quintals of certified seeds of different kinds as per the demands of the farmer. Currently, the estimated amount of seed that could be harvested is 1.9 million quintals, which is 200,000 quintals more than the demand. So far, we have collected 1.1 million quintals of seeds, that means 61 percent of the estimated amount.”

The director further revealed that 1.5 million liters of agro-chemical is in the process of  purchasing.

It is to be recalled that 12.8 million quintals of fertilizer and 700,000 quintals of select seeds had been distributed to farmers last cropping season.