By Citizen Journalist
Villagers in Silobela’s Langton Farming community are in dire need of farming inputs as they cannot afford to buy the inputs due to skyrocketing prices.
Prices of farming inputs have skyrocketed beyond the reach of many and the much-publicised Presidential inputs scheme is yet to include them.
Farmers in the area said it’s an uphill task for them to raise RTGS$5000.00 for a packet of 10 kg maize seed and time is not on their side since the rainy season is about to start.
Qiniso Ngwenya of Langton farm in Village 6 said he couldn’t get such an amount of money due to poor demand and offered prices of maize.
Ngwenya added that a bucket of maize costs US$4.00 and the government criminalized buying of maize by private buyers besides the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).
Another farmer RosinaTwini said farmers are struggling to raise cash for parts of ploughs as some got used up during the 2020-2021 season.
“This will hinder the efforts of farmers to get another bumper harvest this year. Our hopes are now pinned on the Presidential input scheme where farmers got 5kg of maize and 2kg of sorghum. We hope this year the government will give us at least 10kg of maize seed and 50kg of fertilizer,” said Twini.
Makhosi Nyoni argued that in IsiNdebele ‘ukukhala akusizi’ meaning crying will not help.
He urged farmers to be innovative and plant locall seeds such as groundnuts and round nuts that fetch more on the market.
With the economy in the doldrums, Zimbabweans are finding it difficult to get inputs.
A recent survey says 49 percent of the population are in extreme poverty and Langton Farmers are not spared.
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