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Yara Tanzania sees rising fertilisers need as crop season nears
Some Yara Tanzania agro-dealers during a panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities in fertiliser distribution, including for the government championed subsidy programme, at an annual meeting between the company and its agents from across the country held in Dar es Salaam at the weekend. From left are Swalehe Mkilindi, Hawa Muhina, Sebastiana Muganya and Olais Oleseenga. PHOTO | ERICKY BONIPHACE
What you need to know:
- The fertiliser manufacturer has assured smallholder farmers that it is committed to serving their need for fertilisers and other crop nutrients timely in the coming season
Dar es Salaam. Yara Tanzania, the leading fertiliser manufacturer and distributor, says it is gearing up for a higher demand for fertiliser by farmers across the country as the new crop season is set to open.
Yara managing director Winstone Odhiambo said the company is also collaborating with the government to address challenges that may have slowed down the delivery of fertiliser under the subsidy programme.
“I want to assure farmers, especially smallholder growers who form the majority farm-level producers, that Yara is committed to serving their need for fertiliser and other crop nutrients timely in the coming season. I am confident that with the improved fertiliser subsidy digital platform by the government, supplies will be speeded up,” said Mr Odhiambo.
He was speaking at the weekend during a meeting, in Dar es Salaam, between Yara fertiliser dealers drawn from different parts of the country to review last season’s performance and map out new strategies for the season ahead.
Some 50 agro-dealers who attended the two days meeting appealed for timely release of payments for supplies under the subsidy programme to serve farmers effectively.
A representative of the Tanzania Fertiliser Regulatory Agency (TFRA) said the agency’s online Agro dealer tool has been improved to fix bottlenecks that affected them last season.
The improved digital tool will now enable fertiliser dealers manage their fertiliser orders across different suppliers and also in the movement of stock.
The government last financial year introduced subsidised fertiliser and allocated Sh150 billion towards the efforts to boost production.
Agriculture minister Hussein Bashe revealed in June the government had spent Sh345.6 billion by April 2023 on the back of high demand for fertiliser.
According to the minister, 342.73 million tonnes of fertiliser was procured during the period and benefited 782,553 farmers across the country. The figure was over 190 billion more above the funds allocated for the subsidy programme.
Yara Tanzania has enrolled its distributors on a champions programme, with the agro-dealers earning millions of shillings in annual bonuses and family leisure trips. “At Yara, our network of distributors do not only sell fertiliser but have adopted a holistic approach to become agents of empowering farmers with agronomic knowledge and practice to boost farm level yields and income,” said Mr Odhiambo.
Senior agronomist, Mr Maulid Mponda Mkima said through Yara’s new technology manufacturing plant in Dar es Salaam, Yara is contributing to farmers’ empowerment and food security through a range of blended fertiliser called Microp, which is rich in nutrients, affordable and responds to respective climatic challenges.
“Microp range of fertilisers is now the pride of Tanzania, helping cut down on expensive imports and tackling soil health which is critical to farmers’ productivity and food security,” explained Mr Mponda.
