Zimbabwe turns to fertilizer imports to plug shortages

HARARE, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government has given local farmers the green light to import fertilizers to address inadequate local supplies, a cabinet minister said on Tuesday.

The nation is facing supply gaps, with local suppliers indicating that they have challenges meeting the surging demand ahead of the imminent summer season, Jenfan Muswere, the minister of information, publicity and broadcasting services, said at a post-cabinet media briefing.

"The local fertilizer industry is having challenges and the supply gap is being covered largely by imports. The government has approved that farmers import fertilizers directly from suppliers outside the country to augment local supplies whilst the government develops a long-term solution to the fertilizer challenges," Muswere said.

Zimbabwe's national demand for fertilizers is estimated at 400,000 metric tonnes of basal and 380,000 metric tonnes of top dressing per annum for both the summer and winter cropping season.

Muswere said the government was also allowing importation of cement due to shortages in the market, which have caused hikes of the product's price.