Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Government has given Nyiombo Investment Limited 14 days in which to replace the caked urea fertilizer it supplied to Kitwe and Lufwanyama districts under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda has told Parliament in a ministerial statement today that while tests on the fertilizer samples collected from Kitwe and Lufwanyama proved that the fertilizer was potent and contained the recommended 46% of Nitrogen, it was observed that the percentage of fertilizer caked fertilizer was high.
Mr Lubinda says of the total quantity of fertilizer that was delivered to Kitwe and Lufwanyama 50% of the fertilizer had caked.
He says this means that the moisture content in the fertilizer was high resulting in the formation of solid cake in the bags.
He says arising from the findings; it was recommended that all caked fertilizer be kept in a separate storage facility in order to avoid mixing the bags that caked with those that are free flowing.
Mr Lubinda adds that it has also been recommended that the fertilizer consignment yet to be delivered to Kitwe and Lufwanyama amounting to 10,580 50kg bags and 11,305 5kg bags respectively should be constantly monitored and only free flowing fertilizer should be allowed into the Nyiombo sheds.