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CFU projects poor 2013

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THE Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU) has projected a poor 2013 agricultural season due to late cropping and excessive rains.

THE Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU) has projected a poor 2013 agricultural season due to late cropping and excessive rains.

Business Reporter

In an interview yesterday, CFU president Charles Taffs said the agricultural sector was in crisis and there was need for the country to address the problems affecting the sector.

“The whole cycle of farming is in crisis. There is a different track in the agricultural sector that needs to be reinstated for the agricultural business to thrive,” he said.

“It’s not the weather problems, but we are the problem because we are not allowing ourselves to get into a stable business environment so that we can plan.”

Taffs said there was need for a new approach especially in terms of preparedness that farmers buy seeds for the next season in August not in December like what happened this season.

He said the quantification of all assets and lands in the country were underway for the compensation process to be done for farmers whose land was acquired by the government.

“The valuation of the affected properties is complex and is still an ongoing exercise and any final figure can only be calculated once agreed valuation formulae have been agreed upon with all parties concerned,”he said.

“The former commercial farmers are demanding compensation from the farms that were taken by the government from some white farmers during the land reform programme.

“The compensation was guided mainly with Land Acquisition Act and Acquisition of Equipment and Materials Act.”

The agriculture sector, which is expected to grow by 6,4% this year, requires at least $2 billion.