Zimbabwe has opened a duty-free import window for 450,000 tonnes of fertiliser ahead of the 2026/27 summer cropping season.
The Government hopes the move will ease shortages and improve access to essential agricultural inputs.
The import facility covers 200,000 tonnes of basal fertiliser and 250,000 tonnes of top-dressing fertiliser.
However, the country’s fertiliser requirements remain significantly higher than available supplies.
Obert Jiri, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, outlined the situation.
He said Zimbabwe needs approximately 780,000 tonnes of fertiliser for the upcoming agricultural season.
“On fertiliser, the national requirement for basal and top dressing is 780,000 tonnes,” said Jiri.
Meanwhile, authorities continue distributing agricultural inputs through Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots.
However, the movement of supplies into farming communities has not progressed as quickly as expected.
“While inputs are reaching GMB depots, the movement to wards has been slow but is gradually gaining momentum,” he said.
Zimbabwe opens 450,000-tonne fertiliser import window
Despite ongoing deliveries, available fertiliser stocks remain significantly below national requirements.
Zimbabwe currently has only 13,000 tonnes of Compound D fertiliser against an estimated requirement of 60,000 tonnes.
Additionally, deliveries of top-dressing fertiliser have reached just 40 to 50 per cent of anticipated demand.
The supply gap has raised concerns as farmers prepare their land for the approaching planting season.
Consequently, the Government has introduced duty-free imports to increase availability and supplement domestic production.
“To meet the gap, Government has opened duty-free imports of 200,000 tonnes of basal and 250,000 tonnes of top-dressing fertiliser,” said Jiri.
The intervention has received support from farming organisations, which expect improved affordability and better access.
They believe the decision could help farmers secure sufficient inputs before planting begins.
Farmers welcome move but urge caution when importing
Shadreck Makombe, president of the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU), welcomed the suspension of fertiliser import duties.
He believes removing the additional tax burden could lower retail prices for agricultural inputs.
This would make fertiliser more accessible to farmers preparing for the new season.
“Suspension of duty on fertiliser will help lower the retail price of the commodity and make it more affordable for farmers to purchase and use. This can have a positive impact on agricultural productivity and potentially increase crop yields,” he said.
However, Makombe also encouraged farmers to collaborate and maximise the opportunities created by the import facility.
He urged producers to combine their resources when purchasing fertiliser rather than working independently.
Nevertheless, he warned against prioritising cheaper products without considering their quality.
“Farmers now need to pool their resources together and make use of that window and import. However, farmers should also be careful when purchasing to avoid cheap things but go for quality,” he said.
The duty-free arrangement comes as Zimbabwe prepares for another important summer agricultural season.
Its success will depend heavily on timely imports, efficient distribution and farmers’ ability to access affordable, quality fertiliser.
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