The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) expressed concerns over the timely supply of agricultural inputs [anti–weed chemical and chemical pesticides] and their distribution to the farmers nationwide this Ethiopian crop season.
MoA urges pertinent actors and the government to show commitment for timely agricultural inputs importation in a bid to parry agricultural crop damages and to spare the sector from the consequences that crop up due to pests and the weeds that thrive on farmlands in tandem with the rainy season.
Since all anti–weed chemical and chemical pesticides are not manufactured locally, the country annually outlays a huge foreign currency to purchase them from foreign companies.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, MoA Plant Protection Directorate Director Zebdios Felato said that “we need to underline punctuality
to effect swift solutions pertaining to agricultural inputs supply and distribution to our farmers. The agricultural inputs [anti-weed chemical and chemical pesticides] are not manufactured locally, thus the country is expected to fill out pre-order forms and dispatch it to manufactures abroad so that they manufacture the required amount,” he added.
The country is seriously beset by the aforementioned agricultural inputs, he emphasized.
As to him, MoA has been striving to supply all agricultural inputs in time to farmers. But, for reasons related with foreign currency dearth, the National Bank has been repeatedly rejecting MoA’s request for the importation of agricultural inputs.
“Had the anti-weed and pesticide chemicals were ordered in time, such inputs would have been available to farmers upon they finishing sowing. But, due to the shortage of foreign exchange, the Ministry could not see to the purchase and distribution of these key inputs. I am afraid even if the transaction is handled this crop season, it would be too late”, he stressed.
MoA had planned to purchase and distribute 5 million liter of anti-weed and pesticide chemicals this Ethiopian crop season, in which, its total price is estimated to be more than 29 million USD, he indicated.
The National Bank did tell MoA to decrease the amount on grounds of the foreign exchange crisis that hit the country. The Bank allowed 7 million USD to Agricultural Works Corporation and some amount of foreign exchange to the Adami Tulu Pesticide Processing S.C towards processing the anti-weed chemicals and pesticide procurement from abroad. Information indicated that the Oromia Cooperative Federation had already imported 70,000 liter of chemical for wheat wag and 80,000 liter of anti-weed chemical, he said.
According to him, pertinent stakeholders’ collaboration is indispensible to help MoA saddled with the task of tackling the 100 million citizens’ demand for food. The Ministry has been working strenuously to reinforce Ethiopia’s agricultural productivity and production.
But, this year due to different reasons and the lack of foreign exchange, the Ministry could not import anti-weed and chemical pesticides on time, he underlined.
Accordingly, more than 12.5 million hectares of land is expected to be cultivated annually in the country.
As to him, the Ministry is looking for options to import these agricultural inputs before too much water has passed down under the bridge.
Information indicated that Adami Tulu Pesticide Processing S.C, a government enterprise is the only pesticide producer in Ethiopia. It partially manufactures mosquito nets and herbicides to the Ministry of Health and Agriculture by order. It was established in November 1998 with a total capital of 40.5 million Birr.
The Ethiopian Herald August 04/2019
BY TEWODROS KASSA
