FIRST DROUGHT, NOW SHORTAGE OF DIESEL

MBABANE – Farmers’ efforts to cultivate their fields on time this summer have gone down the drain as government ran short of diesel.

This could result in the country experiencing food shortages and compel the National Maize Corporation (NMC) to import maize from neighbouring countries.
In some visited areas over the weekend, it was discovered that many farmers, especially those who paid for the government tractors, have not started cultivating their fields despite the satisfactory rains received countrywide.
These are the farmers who are also expected to receive seeds and fertilizers, among other farm inputs, from government, under the Ministry of Agriculture.

In random interviews, the farmers shared their frustration that government had informed them that the Regional Development Areas (RDAs), were running short of diesel and therefore, tractors could not be released to them until the availability of the fuel.
The stressed farmers said what was hurting them most was that government had stopped the privately-owned tractors from cultivating the fields, as was the case in the past.
Government has 400 tractors, apart from the privately owned ones that are expected to provide service to farmers this year.

“As you can see, no one has started cultivating the fields here. We have been promised two tractors, in spite of the fact that we are a bigger constituency, with 10 chiefdoms. If we haven’t started now, I doubt that some of us will be able to produce enough food this harvesting season,” said residents of Maphalaleni.

The residents, whose majority joined the government farming programme, revealed that they have not yet received their seeds and fertilizer. They said the explanation they got from government was that the transportation of the fertilizer and the seeds to the respective places was let down by diesel shortages.

Asked about the claims of his constituents, Maphalaleni Member of Parliament, Mabulala Maseko confirmed that cultivation of fields has not yet begun at his constituency. He explained that he tried to make a follow up on the tractors, only to find that government had run short of diesel. Maseko said the shortage of diesel was formally communicated to him at the RDA.
“The reason why farmers have not received their seeds and fertilizer emanated from the diesel shortage, according to the ministry,” Maseko said.
Meanwhile, the farmers from this area said their oxen have not recovered enough to assist in ploughing their fields, as they were severely affected by the drought.

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