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| National |
| Tip, subsidy for a million |
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by
Francis Tayanjah-Phiri, 12 October 2004
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10:12:52
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Only one million households will benefit from the targeted inputs programme (Tip) this year while only a further one million will buy fertiliser at the subsidised rate of K1,400.
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Bright Msaka said in a statement Friday under the Tip, Urea and NPK (23:21:0+4S) fertilisers will be available while only Urea will go at the subsidised rate.
“Under TIP, each eligible household will be issued with one blue voucher, which will entitle them to receive one free package containing 25kg of fertiliser, 5kg of maize seed and 1kg of legume seed. Under the fertiliser subsidy programme each eligible household will be issued with one purple voucher which will entitle the to purchase one 50kg bag of Urea at K1,400 per bag. Without the government subsidy, this bag of fertiliser costs over K2,800 each,” Msaka said.
The announcement will come as a shock to some Malawians who were made to believe that 2 million Malawians will benefit from Tip and that the fertilizer subsidy would apply across the board.
At a DC’s meeting in Mangochi recently, there was confusion when Ministry of Agriculture officials announced the changes.
“Everyone was shocked to hear that only 1 million people countrywide would benefit from the Tip programme. Another million lot, that was on the same list, would be scrapped off from the list, instead qualify to purchase fertilizer at a subsidised rate,” said a source at the DCs forum in Mangochi.
According to the source, three officials from Ministry of Agriculture, Planning Unit (Agriculture) and the Office of TIP Logistics Unit travelled from Lilongwe to brief the DCs on the new arrangement.
The DCs are however said to be shocked from the new changes, and pressed the officials to ensure that President Bingu wa Mutharika, who has been heralding the two initiatives in his rallies, makes a national statement on the changes.
“The DCs are concerned that this would spark trouble as it would be difficult to convince people that some of them would be dropped from the list. The question is, if they are to buy the fertilizers, where will they get the money? That is why they proposed that the President himself to issue a statement,” alleged the source.
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