Messed Subsidy Program to affect Economic Recovery Plan

The Famers Union of Malawi on Friday said chances that the Malawi economy will recover by the next agriculture season are slim in the wake of the poor management this year’s Farm Input Subsidy Programme – FISP.

President for the union Mr Felix Jumbe told journalists that implementation of the program this year is worse than last year

“This is the year when the farm input programme was the only hope to boost agriculture and help towards economic recovery. The recovery path however will be affected as the subsidy programme faces continue challenges,” said Jumbe.

Mr Jumbe faulted the Malawi Government for “poor administration” of the programme.

He noted that for example the Mzimba case where a total of 1, 610 bags of subsidized fertilizer were found mixed with sand.

The 1,610 bags were of part of a consignment of 1, 860 bags that had arrived at a remote Admarc depot of Ebombeni district.

In October this year Police in Mangochi, east of Malawi, impounded a 15 ton truck owned by Simama General Dealers, which was offloading 600 (50 Kg) bags of subsidized fertilizer that was mixed with sand at Katuli Admarc Depot in the district.

As if that was not enough, some two ADMARC officials were arrested on Tuesday in Dedza for allegedly selling subsidized fertilizer at K3, 000, way above the K 500 price set by government.

“As farmers we are losing confidence and the future of the programme seems to be so doubtful such that we cannot proceed with it,” said Jumbe.

The farm input subsidy program is a brain child of late President Bingu wa Mutharika but of late the initiative has lost plot and has turned into a money spinner by the greedy few.