Harare — FARMERS have started collecting fertilizer and seed from Grain Marketing Board depots countrywide after successfully applying for vouchers from local financial institutions.

Banks that have begun assisting the farmers are CBZ, FBC and Agribank.

Over 3 170 tonnes of Compound D fertilizer, 28 tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate, 248 tonnes of Urea, 127 135 tonnes of maize seed and two tonnes of sorghum seed have been collected by farmers under the loan scheme.

The Government announced a US$210 million loan facility for the 2009/10 summer cropping season, where farmers collect vouchers from banks after applying for the money using immovable properties as collateral.

Although cattle and movable assets have been approved as collateral, investigations have revealed that such people were not among the first batch of beneficiaries.

GMB public relations manager Mrs Muriel Zemura confirmed that farmers had started collecting inputs using vouchers.

"The problem is now with supplies as fertilizer are running out at most GMB depots across the country. At least there should be more deliveries of the inputs to GMB depots for farmers to access them on time," she said.

Mrs Zemura said Mashonaland Central Province had received 2 264 tonnes of Compound D fertilizer and 1 237,5 tonnes had been collected by the farmers, 197 tonnes of urea of the 260 tonnes that had been distributed, had already been collected.

She said 34 tonnes of maize seed had been collected from the 548 tonnes distributed.

A total of 55 tonnes of sorghum were received at GMB depots in Mashonaland Central but none Farmers now collecting inputs had been collected so far. The province is yet to receive its Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer.

In Mashonaland West province, the farmers have so far collected 1 259,6 tonnes of 2 371 tonnes of Compound D fertilizer delivered and 72 tonnes of maize seed out of the 574 tonnes that were received by the depots.

Two out of the 37 tonnes of sorghum seed received have been collected by farmers.

Statistics provided by GMB show that fertilizer had run out at Karoi, Banket, Raffingora and Chinhoyi depots.

In Mashonaland East province, Aspindale and Chitungwiza depots had run out of Compound D fertilizer.

As of November 3, Murehwa depot had run out of Ammonium Nitrate as farmers collected the 28 tonnes delivered.

The same depot also awaits deliveries of urea since farmers had already collected the 30 tonnes delivered

Masvingo province has registered slow uptake of inputs as most farmers are yet to be issued with the vouchers by the banks.

Out of the 447 tonnes of Compound D that were delivered, only 41 tonnes have been collected with 3,13 tonnes of the 47 tonnes of maize seed being collected by farmers. However, there have been no takers so far for the eight tonnes of sorghum seed from the province.

Farmers in Manicaland province have collected 80 tonnes of the Compound D fertilizer and are yet to start collecting Urea, maize seed and sorghum seed.

In Midlands province, 55 tonnes out of the 610 tonnes of Compound D that were delivered had been collected. Only one tonne of the 100 tonnes of maize seed that was delivered to the GMB depots was collected.

In Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Bulawayo provinces, the farmers have not yet started collecting the inputs and this is being attributed to the long time the banks are taking to verify farmers before issuing the vouchers.

Meanwhile, inputs have been stuck at a warehouse in Harare although deliveries from South Africa were continuing.

There were no trucks ferrying seed and fertilizers to GMB depots and there were fears that the farmers could get inputs late.

Recently, the Government ordered local seed and fertilizer manufacturing firms to deliver farming inputs to GMB depots and other stockists to ensure that the farmers access inputs on time.

This came after the Meteorological Services Department had urged farmers to start planting at the onset of the rainy season.

The inputs are being distributed through the 84 GMB depots countrywide.