The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) has reduced the prices for maize, wheat and soya seeds for farmers ahead of the agricultural season A next month.

The new prices were announced at a meeting between MINAGRI, Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB), farmers cooperatives and other stakeholders.

According to Dr Telesphore Ndabamenye, the head of crop production and food security at RAB, the decision was taken after realising that some farmers shunned the seeds due to high prices.

"Farmers have been complaining of high prices of seeds. This has impacted on productivity as they prefer to use their own poor quality seeds. We want to increase usage of good seed varieties,” he said.

He added that the Government was covering between 60 per cent and 85 per cent of the price to subsidise the seeds.

Maize seeds decreased from Rwf570 per kg to Rwf300 per kg for hybrid varieties.

"We want to promote the use of hybrid seeds to increase production by over two-fold. As we urge farmers to use the seeds, we also motivate them by reducing prices,” Ndabamenye said.

Last season, 1,300 tonnes of hybrid maize seed varieties were planted, but they are projected to increase to 1,900 tonnes this season.

Over 240,000 hectares are to be planted, he said, explaining that a half of it will be planted with hybrid seeds. The produce is expected to increase to 900,000 tonnes from 370,000 tonnes last year.

The price of soya seeds has been slashed to Rwf450 per kilogramme to between Rwf130 and Rwf150, while wheat seed prices reduced from Rwf518 to Rwf260.

Agro-dealers speak out

Agro-dealers have expressed reservations over the new prices as some still have stocks of seeds they purchased previously at higher prices.

"We still have seeds in stock. Farmers cannot buy them at the previous price when they see cheaper seeds. We need Rab intervention to avoid losses’, said Emmanuel Dushimimana, an agro-dealer.

Aimable Niringiyimana, a seeds dealer from Rubavu District, added: "Some farmers masquerade as having big land to get more seeds which they later sell cheaply.”

"Seeds also arrive late which causes farmers to opt for poor quality seeds,” said Augustin Gakire, an agro-dealer from Nyamasheke District.

Rab responds to concerns

Dr Ndabamenye said an assessment would be carried out to compensate the agro-dealers that had already stocked good seeds to cushion them from losses.

"Any agro-dealer who stored seeds poorly will feel the pinch, but those with high quality seeds will be paid the difference between previous prices and the new ones”, he said.

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