Zimbabwe will import more than 70 000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate (AN) fertilisers to meet the requirements for the 2012-2013 cropping season, an official has said.

Fertiliser industry spokesperson Mr Misheck Kachere told New Ziana on Saturday that $20 million was required to fund the imports.

The country’s fertiliser requirement for cropping season is 150 000 tonnes of AN and Compound D fertilisers apiece.

“We are owed huge amounts of money by stakeholders in the agriculture sector which is making it impossible to produce locally leaving imports as the only option to meet demand for the upcoming season,” said Mr Kachere.

He said commitment fees had already been  paid to the foreign suppliers.

“Suppliers will only take the product to Beira or any other place where it will be stored in ware houses awaiting full payment,” said Mr Kachere.

The local industry, he said, currently had 25 000 tonnes of AN in stock.

Mr Kachere said local producers can meet demand for compound fertilisers provided funding was availed on time.

Last year there was an acute shortage of fertilisers especially AN.

The Meteorological Services Department has predicted that the country will receive normal to below normal rainfall during the 2012/2013 farming season. — New Ziana.