Malawi has about 170,000 metric tonnes (mt) of all types of fertiliser held by both the government and private traders under the Fertiliser Association of Malawi.
The volume is, however, 57.5 percent lower than the 400,000mt the country requires a year.
Fertiliser Association of Malawi Executive Administrative Officer Mbawaka Phiri said, this far, members of the association have a combined 90,000mt of fertiliser in stock.
She said about 155,000mt more have been ordered for importation.
In a recent interview, Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale said about 80,000mt of fertiliser were already in the country meant for the Affordable Inputs Programme.
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The government awarded contracts to 13 fertiliser suppliers who are expected to supply 149,164mt of NPK and Urea fertiliser through the Smallholder Farmers Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi.
“Between these companies, about 80,000mt of fertiliser are already in the country, which is 53 percent of what we need. The balance will be in the country before we launch the AIP,” Kawale said.
Agricultural policy commentators are pushing the government to hasten the importation process to minimise challenges in AIP implementation this year.
