14 suppliers approved for 2017/18 Fisp
The Office of Director of Public Procurement (ODPP) has approved 14 suppliers from an initial list of 21 private companies that bid to supply fertiliser for this year’s Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp).
The list of successful suppliers include Paramount Holdings Limited, ETG Inputs Limited, Rab Processors Limited , Kulima Gold Limited , Farmers World Limited, Agricultural Trading Company Ltd, World Wide Wholesalers, Dalitso General Suppliers Limited, Midima Holdings Limited, KU Distributors Limited , Optichem (2000) Limited, Agora Limited, Agro Input Suppliers and Malawi Fertiliser Company Limited.
Left out on the final list are Transglobe Export Limited, A.L Limited, Simama General Dealers, Nyiombo Investments Limited, Mas International and Lord’s Best Collection. Some firms on the list have been regular suppliers in the programme in previous years.
The ODPP has taken two months to scrutinise the companies before issuing a ‘No Objection’ order after Smallholder Farmers Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM), which Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development designated to manage the programme, sent the list of successful bidders on August 1 this year.
SFFRFM chief executive officer Andy Kalinde said in an interview yesterday the suppliers that have qualified were invited to a briefing in Lilongwe on Monday. They include SFFRFM and State produce trader Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc).
However, he added that SFFRFM was still reviewing other suppliers; hence, the public should not rush to conclude that bidders not on the list have failed.
Said Kalinde: “We only had a briefing at the ODPP whereby the suppliers were told of what is expected of them. They have not yet been given the contracts. We expect that the contracts will be signed this week.
Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture chairperson Joseph Chidanti-Malunga, whose committee has been playing an oversight function in the selection of the suppliers, said yesterday he was satisfied with the outcome.
He said 90 percent of the committee’s recommendations have been adhered to.
The release of the suppliers’ list comes barely four days after the first consignment of Fisp coupons arrived on Friday and will cater for beneficiaries from Southern Region districts, namely Nsanje, Thyolo, Chiladzulu, Mulanje, Mangochi, Phalombe, Mwanza and Blantyre, according to Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Joseph Mwanamvekha.
The second and last consignment will be dispatched from United Kingdom (UK) where the coupons are being printed and it is expected to arrive in the country next week Monday according to the minister.
In an earlier interview with our sister newspaper Weekend Nation, Director of ODPP Paul Taulo explained that delays in issuing a ‘No Objection’ order are mostly necessitated when there are issues with the submitted list.
