At a press briefing on July 8, 2024, the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock announced that the balance payment campaign for fertilizers and dolomite for the 2024 C growing season will take place from July 11 to August 10, 2024. This period will also coincide with the distribution of fertilizers and dolomite. According to the draft budget law for the 2024-2025 financial year, The budget allocated to the national English grant programme amounts to to 228 billion FBu.
The balance payment for fertilizers and dolomite for growing season C will take place from July 11, 2024 to August 10, 2024.
The Minister of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, Prosper Dodiko, announced during a press briefing on July 8, 2024 that the payment of the balance for fertilizers and dolomite for growing season C will extend over a period between July 11, 2024 and August 10, 2024. As he announced, this period will coincide with the distribution of fertilizers and dolomite to the usual locations.
The price for this season
Minister Dodiko clarified that the prices of fertilizers and dolomite remain the same as those of the previous season and the government will cover the additional costs. For example, for a 25 kg bag of FOMI Imbura fertilizer, which normally costs 75,216 BIF, the farmer will pay only 31,000 BIF, the government will cover the remaining 44,216 BIF, or more than 40%. For a 25 kg bag of urea, which costs 73,755 BIF, the farmer will pay 33,000 BIF, the government will cover the remaining 40,755 BIF, or more than 55%. For a 25 kg bag of FOMI Bagara, which costs 67,545 FBu, the farmer will pay 28,000 FBu, the government will cover the remaining 39,545 FBu.
For a bag of dolomite costing 19,000 BIF, the farmer will pay 5,000 BIF, the government will bear the remaining 14,000 BIF. For farmers who have difficulty handling 50 kg bags, the ministry has decided to reduce the weight of dolomite bags to 25 kg. According to Minister Dodiko, one voucher is equivalent to two 25 kg bags of dolomite.
Good agricultural practices to increase production
For farmers who have already planted seeds before receiving the fertilizers, Minister Dodiko clarifies that it is still possible to use the fertilizers. He explains that they only need to be applied around the plants. “The nutrients remain effective,” he says. The Ministry encourages farmers to diversify their crops, particularly market gardening and other crops with a short growing cycle, and is committed to supporting them continuously.
For those who have not received all the agricultural inputs despite paying the required fees, Minister Dodiko asks officials of the provincial offices of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock to prioritize them in the current distribution of agricultural inputs.
Payments of the balance for these agricultural inputs can be made to the National Post Office, to FENACOBU, to MUTEC via its Nicash service or by Lumicash. For farmers residing in the provinces of Muramvya and Kayanza, payments can be made to the microfinance institution DIFO.sa. Farmers in the provinces of Cankuzo, Karusi can pay to CRDB Bank. Those in Ruyigi, Makamba and Rumonge can pay to Bancobu, those in the provinces of Bujumbura, Bubanza and Ngozi to CECM and those in the provinces of Bujumbura and Gitega to CECABU.
The draft budget law for the 2024-2025 financial year provides for an envelope of 228 billion BIF for the national fertilizer subsidy program. This was announced by Audace Niyonzima, Minister in charge of Finance, when he was at the National Assembly to answer oral questions on this draft law.
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