By Burnett Munthali
During a parliamentary session, President Lazarus Chakwera responded to a question raised by Salima Central MP Gerald Kapiseni Phiri regarding the skyrocketing price of fertilizer, now exceeding MWK 105,000 per bag.
President Chakwera urged Malawians not to focus solely on the increasing prices of inputs but also to consider the profits they make when selling their harvests.
He cited an example comparing current and past scenarios. Previously, farmers needed to sell six bags of maize to purchase one bag of fertilizer. Today, they only need to sell two and a half bags to afford a bag of fertilizer. According to Chakwera, this indicates an improvement in market value for farmers despite the high input costs.
To mitigate the challenges posed by hunger, the President highlighted that the government has allocated funds to ADMARC, enabling it to sell maize in its markets. This initiative aims to support vulnerable communities grappling with food insecurity.
President Chakwera’s remarks underline the administration’s perspective that, while input costs are high, the improved profitability for farmers offsets some of these challenges. However, critics argue that the rising cost of living continues to strain households, especially in rural areas.
The debate over fertilizer pricing remains a contentious issue as Malawi strives to balance economic pressures with the needs of its citizens.
