Senior representatives of United Capital Fertilizer Zambia (UCF) have travelled to Malawi for meetings with Agriculture Minister Roza Mbilizi regarding a proposed fertiliser supply arrangement for the 2026/27 Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP), in a development that has raised concerns over procurement processes and political oversight. UCF, headquartered in Chilanga, Zambia, is a vertically integrated fertiliser producer with an annual output capacity of 800,000 tonnes, supplying urea, DAP, NPK and customised blends across the region. According to officials familiar with the matter, an informal meeting between the Minister and UCF executives took place over the weekend, followed by an official engagement on Monday. It has emerged that Minister Mbilizi requested approval from the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) for a single‑source procurement arrangement. However, sources say the Minister subsequently directed SFFRFM not to issue fertiliser tenders, effectively pausing the procurement process.