Farmers World shines in FISP Program as ADMARC tumbles

One of the country’s agro-dealers, Farmers World, has outclassed all the companies which took part in the implementation of 2016/17 farm input subsidy program, according to a Malawi government report.

Recent Government’s Logistics Unit report has revealed that Farmers World has distributed 159,232 bags of NPK, 130,276 bags of Urea; totalling 289,508 bags of fertilizer.

Farmers World was trailed by the SFFRFM which delivered 125,271 bags of NPK and 152,639 bags of Urea, all totalling to 277, 910.

The two giants were followed by Export Trading Company, Agora LTD, Worldwide wholesalers, Mulli Brothers, Transglobe Produce Ltd, and ADMARC among others.

According to the report from the Government Logistics Unit, 1,632,217 bags of fertilizer have been delivered. Out of the figure, 822, 019 bags are for NPK fertilizer while 810, 198 bags are for Urea fertilizer.

The report has also revealed that Demeter has emerged in first position on the supply of seeds seconded by Seed Co. Company, and trailed by Monsanto, Pannar Seed, Funwe, Pindulani, Premium Seeds, and other companies.

Commenting on the report, Farmers World Managing Director Jimmy Dimitri Giannakis said it was a difficult task to get fertiliser to farmers in the small window available due to the late commencement of coupon distribution to beneficiaries.
“We hope that next year the programme will start early. We want farmers to receive coupons as early as September in readiness for the first rains because that can help farmers to access inputs well ahead of time making best use of fertiliser and seed on receiving the first rains,” said Giannakis.

Confirming the development in a telephone interview, Fertilizer Association of Malawi (FAM) Desk Officer Mvaiwa Chigaru said FAM is assuring government and the general public that the organisation will be working hard to ensure the availability of fertilizer in all their depots in time so that farmers should be the ones to benefit.

“What needs to be made clear is that the private sector has been invited to take a big role in implementing FISP alongside the government parastatals SFFRFM and ADMARC and thus this is a partnership and combined effort (not solely a private sector dominated program),” said Mvaiwa.

Distribution of fertilizer is done by ADMARC and the private sector, coordinated by the FISP coordinating unit and FAM secretariat.

As fertilizer is redeemed by beneficiaries, this information passes through the Logistics Unit to initialize the processing of payments to the suppliers; thus Logistics Unit Information.
Similar data is given to the FAM secretariat by its members and it is with this information where the private sector position in terms of distribution is determined.

According to Mvaiwa, what we have seen so far is that private companies have done quite a good job.

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, has since commended the private sector for the smooth implementation of the programme.

Farm Input Subsidy Programme Coordinator, Osborne Tsoka made the remarks in Lilongwe during a one on one interview on the general progress of the programme.

Tsoka said the private sector did a good job despite the fact that the coupons arrived late.

“We are very happy with the private sector, these companies did a good job although the coupons arrived late. We will be engaging our partners so that we ensure that next season we start as early as June,” said Tsoka.