Dodoma — THE government requires 850,000 tonnes of fertiliser for 2023/24 farming season of which, 54 per cent is already in the country, Tanzania Fertiliser Regulatory Authority (TFRA) Managing Director, Dr Stephan Ngailo said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters on the implementation of the TFRA plans and prospects for 2023/24 financial year, Dr Ngailo pointed out that some 400,000 tonnes that were in store from the last planting season have started to be distributed to the farmers.

Elaborating, he assured the farmers of the authority's commitment to ensure they coordinate timely their activities, including the State's 150bn/- subsidy in the goal.

Equally, Dr Ngailo assured farmers and the public that no fertiliser's quality will be tampered with, adding: "We welcome investors in the construction of fertilisers' factories in the country.

"We will collaborate with other stakeholders to ensure farmers get the right information of the needed use of fertiliser for increased productivity."

Speaking on the success attained in 2022/23, Dr Ngailo said they managed to complete the quality laboratory test and improve control mechanism system on the fertiliser inspection.

"Our mission is to ensure availability, accessibility and affordability of quality fertiliser and fertiliser supplements to all farmers through Regulating Fertiliser Industry for Sustainable Agricultural Productivity," he said.

Adding " we want to see in place quality fertiliser to all farmers for agriculture sustainability and with an increased number of Regional Fertiliser Subsidy Representatives from 100 in 2021 to 163 as of June this year."

On top of that, he said, the number of fertiliser business operators has tripled from 1,000 in 2020/21 to 3,081 as of June 30, 2323.

Dr Ngailo said TFRA has managed to widen the access to fertiliser acquisition countrywide from 586,604 in 2019/20 to 1,115,841 tonnes in June 30, 2023.

As for industries, he said, there were only four factories in 2026/17 to 17 manufacturers in 2022/23 and for production from 28,318 tonnes to 164,792 tonnes in the stated period.

Of the subsidised fertiliser, Dr Ngailo said they have registered 3,369, 951 farmers and the target is to hit 7-million come 2025.