The cash crisis being experienced in the country is affecting the planting season as most farmers are failing to access money for inputs, NewsDay has established.
BY NUNURAI JENA
Despite the onset of the rainy season last week, some farmers have not put anything in the field as they struggle to withdraw money for inputs.
Some are still waiting for deliveries in the villages as government distributes inputs to urbanites to curry favour ahead of the 2018 elections.
Farmers who spoke to NewsDay said they were now spending more time in bank queues instead of being in the fields.
They complained that inputs distributed under the Presidential Inputs Scheme were not enough.
They said they usually receive only 10kg of seed maize and a bag of fertiliser.
A Makonde farmer, Claudius Verenge, said: “I came here (Chinhoyi) on Sunday, but up to today (yesterday) I managed to withdraw $30, which I’m also using to buy food since I don’t have relatives in this town,” he said.
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Another farmer, Christopher Pfende, said the Presidential Inputs Scheme only provides 10kg of seed maize and fertiliser, which was not enough for his family of seven.
The farmers also complained of the increase in prices of inputs and fertiliser as retailers take advantage of the onset of the rainy season.
