The owners of the factory which holds the monopoly of the manufacture of agricultural fertilizers are trying to calm things down.
In Burundi, the government has since 2019 banned all imports of chemical fertilizers into the country and has granted a monopoly on its manufacture to a company, Fertilisants organo-mineraux Industries (FOMI), which officially belongs to a wealthy businessman. prominent member of the ruling party. But the problems multiplied. The factory failed to meet the demand, even though the peasants had paid in advance. A real drama in this country where more than 80% of the population lives from subsistence farming.
Burundian peasants have not ceased to lament since the granting of the monopoly of the production of chemical fertilizers to FOMI, a company governed by private law. The reason ? The authorities practically force these farmers to pay part or all of the fertilizer before it is delivered to them. A contract that is not always respected. Gérard, a peasant from central Burundi, does not hide his anger.
“ Here in Gishubi, farmers paid for their agricultural season A fertilizer in September, but many have not yet received these agricultural inputs today. And we are angry because we have not yet received the fertilizer already paid for. And now they require us to pay an advance for season B fertilizer when we haven’t received the September one yet. »
The same is true in almost all provinces of the country.
On Friday, FOMI, which has a monopoly on fertilizer production, tried to reassure farmers and public authorities by assuring that this time, its products will be available from Monday and in sufficient quantity.
Without convincing too much, because the problem is rather “ structural believes Gabriel Rufyiri, the president of Olucome, an anti-corruption organization, which castigates the monopoly granted to the owner of the FOMI factory: The whole market has been given to a single company when it is not able to satisfy the whole population. The government needs to change its strategy because enriching a single individual at the expense of millions of people is unacceptable. »
As a result, two years ago, the country had lost part of its production due to incorrectly dosed fertilizers. This time, Burundi has lost 40% of the agricultural production expected for agricultural season B due to the lack of fertilizer, the Burundian President, Evariste Ndayishimiye, recently admitted. Neither the public authorities concerned nor the managers of this factory could be reached until yesterday evening.