Why are we importing fertilizer?

cted to those companies to source the raw materials required for the manufacturing process.
But in a move typical of Zanu (PF) thinking, government recently imported 800 tonnes of compound D through its input support scheme. The fertilizer has been declared substandard after failing quality tests by the ministry of agriculture.
Knowing Zanu (PF), one immediately smells a rat. Whoever was responsible for this transaction surely must have received a kick-back.
The people of Zimbabwe deserve a full investigation into this matter. The buck must stop somewhere. Where are the checks and balances? Where is the responsible minister, or permanent secretary – part of whose job description must surely be to ensure that this kind of thing doesn’t happen.
And why is the company importing fertilizer at all? Precious jobs are at stake. Why is Zanu (PF) undermining local industry?
At the same time that he announced the fertilizer debacle, the permanent secretary for agriculture also dropped a bombshell for the ‘new farmers’ – telling them that they must now stand on their own feet as government cannot afford to nanny them.
Welcome to the real world guys. We hope this includes all the Zanu (PF) heavies, some of whom have been caught selling fertilizer, fuel and other commodities received under the inputs scheme – which had become just another coach on the gravy train.
Despite government support for the “new farmers”, agriculture in Zimbabwe has remained a basket case. It is difficult to see how the withdrawal of government assistance can make things any worse.