Increased costs irk Luano farmers

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 10:11:49 +0000

By PETER MALASHA

LUANO farmers have complain of transport costs incurred during acquisition of subsidised inputs.

The farmers complained that they were losing a lot of money on transport and accommodation costs travelling from Luano to Mkushi district for e-voucher issues.

In an interview with the Daily Nation, Nkomashi ward councillor Goliath Kapemba said farmers in his ward had lost a lot of money through frequenting Mkushi since the e-voucher system began.

Mr. Kapemba said farmers are made to travel to Mkushi for the e-voucher process up to depositing of money, because Luano district had no commercial banks for such transactions.

Councillor Kapemba further said the situation had been compounded by non-agro dealer transporters at Masansa who had taken advantage of the distribution exercise and were exploiting farmers.

“Transport costs have become exorbitant and the situation is pathetic. From Masansa the point where distributions exercise is being done to Nkomashi ward. Transporters are charging K15 per 50kg bag of fertiliser plus passenger fee.

“The charge is too much for a poor farmer,” councillor Kapemba said.

Mr Kapemba has appealed to non-agro dealers transporters to look into the matter and reduce the charge for the sake of farmers.

He also called on government to ensure that in the next farming season,  e-voucher process, issues of transport and others be looked into to cut down on unnecessary costs.