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6 900 FARMERS BEAT NMC SUBSIDY DEADLINE

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MBABANE  – It’s all systems go for this year’s ploughing season.

The National Maize Corporation (NMC) has announced that it is ready to kick-start the tractor hire service programme beginning today, and input subsidy redemption towards the end of the month. In a statement, an upbeat NMC Chief Executive Officer Sabelo Msibi, said 6 900 farmers had already paid for services, beating the September 30 deadline; while 15 000 tractor service hours had already been registered by end of the same month. In a matter of days, farmers will know where to redeem their farm inputs.

“Agro-dealer tenders were issued out and the corporation received positive and enthusiastic responses from prospective local agro-dealers countrywide. However, due to compliance issues to most of the potential agro-dealers, we had to refine the bidding process to a selective tender, so that farmers can access inputs across the country as close as possible to their areas of abode. We will announce shortly who the successful dealers are in the next few days,” Msibi said. Meanwhile, NMC is still accepting payments on the tractor hire services.

Msibi said this would be an ongoing service throughout the year as ploughing was all year round for the different crops, including vegetables. Msibi explained that setting the deadline allowed them to prepare properly ahead of the commencement of the ploughing season. He said the number of farmers who had already paid for input subsidies would be consolidated with the previous year’s figures, to determine the extent of inputs to be distributed. He assured farmers that the number of farmers who would require services was manageable. Msibi further announced that contractual issues would be finalised on Wednesday this week with private tractor owners, following successful engagement with all stakeholders, where key issues were discussed and ironed out.

 

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