Burundi Allows Farmers to Import Chemical Fertilizers Amid Persistent Shortages

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Burundi Allows Farmers to Import Chemical Fertilizers Amid Persistent Shortages

Agriculture（https://breakingburundi.com/category/agriculture/）

Burundi Allows Farmers to Import Chemical Fertilizers Amid Persistent Shortages

The Agriculture Ministry says farmers cultivating large areas of land or belonging to agricultural cooperatives can apply for import permits as fertilizer shortages continue to disrupt farming seasons.

Breaking Burundi（https://breakingburundi.com/author/news-room/） October 22, 2026 4 Mins read 2

The fertilizer crisis has persisted despite several government initiatives intended to improve distribution / FOMI

The Burundian Ministry of Agriculture has authorized farmers cultivating large areas of land, as well as members of agricultural cooperatives, to apply for permits to import chemical fertilizers, as the country continues to grapple with persistent shortages of agricultural inputs.

In a statement, the ministry said eligible farmers could request（https://x.com/BMineagrie/status/2112921280219385991?s=20） authorization to import fertilizers, provided they specify the type of fertilizer, the quantity in kilograms or tonnes, and the country of origin in their application letter.

The decision comes after years of complaints（https://breakingburundi.com/agricultural-input-shortage-threatens-burundis-harvest-as-farmers-await-supplies/） from farmers who say they have struggled to access fertilizers despite paying advance fees for supplies intended for different agricultural seasons.

Burundi currently has only one fertilizer manufacturing plant, FOMI（https://fomi.bi/）, which has been unable to meet the country’s demand in recent years. The company has faced difficulties securing foreign currency to import the raw materials needed for production, amid a broader foreign exchange shortage（https://breakingburundi.com/burundi-businesses-warn-of-closures-over-power-cuts-fuel-shortages-and-foreign-currency-crunch/） affecting several sectors of the economy.

“The main problem is therefore the shortage of foreign currency,” FOMI Deputy Managing Director Herménégilde Manyange said at a press conference in early 2026.

Government to reimburse farmers who did not receive fertilizers

The supply crisis has also forced the government to reimburse farmers who paid for fertilizers for the 2026 B cropping season but did not receive their supplies.

In a statement issued late last week, the Agriculture Ministry announced（https://x.com/BMineagrie/status/2111000448513486968/photo/1）that reimbursement would take place from Monday, October 19, through Friday, October 23, 2026.

However, the ministry did not disclose the total amount owed to the affected farmers.

The reimbursement decision has drawn criticism from civil society organizations, including the Association for the Fight Against Unemployment and Torture (ALUCHOTO), which says the measure undermines citizens’ rights.

“How can you ask citizens to pay for fertilizers and then tell them afterward that their money will be refunded?” asked（https://indundi.com/pourquoi-rembourser-largent-au-lieu-de-livrer-lengrais-laluchoto-interpelle-letat/）Vianney Ndayisaba, the organization’s national coordinator, during a press briefing following the announcement.

Ndayisaba argued that the money paid by farmers should instead be carried forward to the next fertilizer distribution cycle. He also questioned whether farmers would receive interest on their money and raised concerns about transparency in the management of funds allocated to the fertilizer sector.

He further questioned why the government had increased the budget allocated to fertilizers for the current fiscal year despite farmers already having paid advance fees.

Ndayisaba also expressed concern about the practical challenges of reimbursement, including the requirement for farmers to present payment receipts. He questioned how authorities would handle cases in which receipts had been lost and raised concerns about the security and accountability of funds handled by local officials.

Reimbursement process faces logistical challenges

The reimbursement exercise has encountered difficulties in several parts of the country.

In Kayanza, in northern Burundi’s Butanyerera Province, farmers complained on Tuesday that power outages had prevented them from collecting their money at the post office. Some reportedly offered to buy fuel themselves to keep the office operating, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

In Rumonge, in the southern province of Burunga, farmers complained that they had to travel long distances to reach banks or microfinance institutions to collect their refunds.

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