Story by Tendai Munengwa
GOVERNMENT efforts to scale up local fertiliser production are yielding positive results, with one of the country’s largest producers, Windmill (Pvt) Ltd, increasing output to support various agricultural activities, including the upcoming winter wheat cropping season.
Fertiliser remains a key component of the Agricultural Food Systems and Rural Transformation Plan under National Development Strategy 2(NDS2), which aims to strengthen agricultural productivity and enhance food security.
This Monday, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce, led by Chairperson Honourable Clemence Chiduwa, toured Windmill Fertiliser Company on a fact-finding mission on the state of the local industry to produce adequate fertiliser to meet national demand.
“We toured Windmill as part of our efforts to gather facts on Fertiliser industry capacity to produce adequate fertiliser- the industry has declined over the years with Windmill operating at 10 percent of its capacity, so the country requires 780 000 tonnes of basal 400 000 and 380 top dressing. The company has been struggling to raise capital to import raw materials, so we are saying in line with our local value chain transformation agenda, we want to localise production and plan ahead especially in view of what is happening in the Middle East. The best strategy is to revamp our local production- so we will inform relevant authorities on what is needed,” he said.
Windmill Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kuda Mundowonzi, thanked Government for support towards revamping the industry and expressed the company’s preparedness to produce three-quarters of the national fertiliser requirements, including the winter wheat crop.
“We are working flat out to produce what the government requires- here this plant can produce 1000 tonnes and 1000 tonnes of basal at another plant in Mt Hampden, so the government is very supportive, and we will fulfil its winter wheat quarter,” he said.
In an effort to revitalise the fertiliser industry, Government has secured a US$125 million facility through Mutapa Investment Fund to boost fertiliser production for the 2026-2027 summer cropping season.
