Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya
Government owes fertilizer suppliers, seed companies and transporters a total of two billion kwacha for the 2016/2017 farming season.
Agriculture Dora Siliya told parliament when she delivered a ministerial statement today that fertilizer suppliers are owed one point six billion while seed suppliers are owed three hundred and thirty two point nine million kwacha.
Ms. Siliya says transporters are owed eight point four billion kwacha and the e-voucher system eight point four million kwacha.
She says a total of eight hundred and three point seven million kwacha has been disbursed for the implementation of the e voucher system out of the one point zero two six billion kwacha required.
Ms. Siliya says of the six hundred and two thousand, five hundred and twenty one cards in the system, five hundred and thirteen, seven hundred and eighty six cards have been sent for activation.
She adds as at 20th February, 2017, a total of four hundred and thirty four thousand, seven hundred and sixty two cards had been activated with the amount disbursed so far.
Ms Siliya says this leaves a balance of K260.1 million for activation of the cards already distributed to farmers.
She states that a further five point nine million kwacha is owed to the five participating banks for the production of the e-voucher cards.