Zimbabwean legislator Pupurai Togarepi has called for a parliamentary investigation into the surging costs of cement and fertiliser, which are currently priced at nearly double the rates found in neighbouring countries.
The ZANU PF Chief Whip raised the issue as a matter of national interest in Parliament on Tuesday.
The discrepancy has sparked urgent concern among lawmakers as farmers prepare for the 2026/27 summer cropping season. While local consumers face prices of approximately US$50 for a bag of fertiliser, the same product typically retails for US$25 in the surrounding region, according to NewZimbabwe.com.
“In the region, a bag of fertiliser is about US$25. In Zimbabwe today, that same bag is US$50,” Togarepi said in Parliament. “So the difference, I do not understand why we have this. Is it cost-sharing? Are these people carrying costs that we don’t know?”
The call for a probe targets the entire agricultural and construction supply chain, including production, imports, and distribution. Togarepi argued that these elevated costs are unsustainable for local farmers, who must compete with regional producers while facing significantly higher input expenses. He said that the price disparity has become so severe that some Zimbabweans are opting to source materials from neighbouring countries despite the added logistical hurdles.
The request for a ministerial statement from Industry and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu was waived by Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda. However, Togarepi has pushed for the Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce to conduct a comprehensive review of why local manufacturers and distributors maintain such high margins.
The current cost environment is particularly critical for the Pfumvudza programme and commercial farming operations that rely on consistent fertiliser availability. The rising cost of cement has also made it difficult for ordinary citizens to build homes, prompting calls for Parliament to intervene to prevent market exploitation.
“How do our people produce? We already have a high cost of production,” Togarepi said, questioning how local farmers can remain profitable under the current structure. He insisted that the Portfolio Committee must visit the sites of production to determine if the high costs are justified by actual operational expenses or if they reflect market distortions.
The investigation is still being debated, as lawmakers seek to determine if manufacturers are using limited competition to maintain high price floors.
