Fertiliser producers in forex plea

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ZIMBABWE’S fertiliser manufacturers say they need allotments of at least US$500 000 per week to import raw materials and ramp up production to plug a shortage of the product in the market.
Ordinarily, manufacturers can meet demand for basal fertiliser while only 30 percent of the country’s top-dressing fertiliser demands are met locally, with the rest being imported.
The estimated demand for fertilisers in the current season is around 600 000 metric tonnes, with basal and top-dressing split into equal portions.

According to Zimbabwe Fertiliser Manufacturers Association interim chairman, James Chigwende, Sable Chemicals, the country’s sole producer of ammonium nitrate, did not get any allotment from the foreign currency auction in November and December last year.