Zimbabwe: Ministry Bids for $310 Trillion in 2008 Budget

Source from:  The Herald (Harare) 28 November 2007 11/29/2007

The Ministry of Agriculture is bidding for $310,7 trillion in the 2008 National Budget to be presented by Finance Minister Cde Samuel Mumbengegwi tomorrow. Giving oral evidence before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, the Secretary for Agriculture, Mr Ngoni Masoka, said the ministry had made some structural repositioning which resulted in the creation of additional departments that required funding from the fiscus. "The priorities for 2008 are premised on the national crop and livestock planning document. In order to make the best impact, the ministry has made some structural repositioning which saw the creation of additional sub-votes and brings the total to 10," he said. Mr Masoka indicated that the ministry's budget bid for 2008 amounted to $310,7 trillion inclusive of its parastatals. According to the ministry's budget bid, Agricultural Field Services require $51,003 trillion, Agriculture Technical Services $21,579 trillion with the Veterinary Field Services in need of $19,210 trillion. The Agriculture Education Department is requesting $14,8 trillion, Crops Research and Development $9,095 trillion, Administration and General $5,7 trillion while the Animal Research and Development Section requires $5,096 trillion. The Regulatory Services is bidding for $3,531 trillion and the Tsetse Control $2,720 trillion. Mr Masoka said a total of 3 310 000 hectares were targeted for cropping this season at a cost of $744,530 billion. A total of 2 000 000 hectares is targeted for the maize crop and this requires $360 billion. The ministry also targets 400 000 hectares to be under sorghum crop at a cost of $60,8 billion. The tobacco crop is expected to cover 60 000 hectares at an estimated cost of $150 billion while 400 000 hectares would be put under cotton at a cost of $87,2 billion. According to Mr Masoka, 130 000 hectares have been targeted for soyabeans, 200 000 hectares for groundnuts and 80 000 hectares for wheat. "Strategic crops are attracting a budget to the tune of $601,2 billion apportioned as follows: $373,6 billion from the Government of Zimbabwe and $227,6 billion from ASPEF or private," he said. Mr Masoka stressed that the livestock programme required some incentives for farmers to take up livestock production seriously. "A target of 5 640 000 livestock volume has been set. This requires a budget of $7,585 billion. This means a lot on dipping and vaccination sub-vote, namely Veterinary Services Division," added Mr Masoka. The ministry requires $1,394 trillion to buy vaccines, $20,251 trillion for dipping services, $8 trillion for disease surveillance while $11 trillion is required for other services like animal movement control. Enditem