The chairperson of the Fertiliser Association of Malawi Dimitri Giannakis has outlined that though supply of fertilizer remains stable during the coronavirus pandemic, prices could go up if supply and production happens to slump.

He therefore called on stakeholders in Malawi to purchase fertilisers early before and in case the situation gets worse. “We also encourage those that can, to purchase the commodity early and the government to continue with the Farm Input Subsidy Programme [Fisp] because through Fisp government assists farmers who cannot afford fertilisers.” said Giannakis.

If fertilizer supply and production slows, it will add on to the short supply of food on the commercial prices, which has seen a rise in prices. Figures from the Centre for Social Concern (CfSC), food prices went up in the last month, due to limited supply amidst the coronavirus pandemic. CfSC has said in its 2020 Basic Needs Basket Assessment notes that between March and April a family of six needed K211 000 to afford basic needs compared to K180 000 during the same period last year. The basic need costs portray a high cost of living, regardless of maize prices lowering from K17500 in March to K9500 in April.