Farmers’ electricity bill doubles in one year

19 Oct, 2014 - 00:10 0 Views

The Sunday News

THE electricity bill for farmers has almost doubled to $73 million in one year despite the debt relief extended by the power utility company — Zesa –  in July last year following a directive by the Government.
In July last year the Government ordered the power company to slash debt owed by farmers resulting in the figure coming down to $38 million from $72 million.

Speaking in Bulawayo last week during the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union of Zimbabwe (ZCFU) 20th annual congress Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company marketing executive, Mr Lot Maziriri, said the debt has already reached levels of pre-debt relief as farmers were not paying.

ZETDC is the subsidiary of Zesa that transmits and bills customers for using electricity.
“Agricultural customers are not honouring their power bills but are paying for other inputs. Farmers benefitted from $72 million Debt Relief in October 2013 which was put in place by the Government resulting in a balance of $38 million. But some 12 months down the line the debt has since doubled to $73 million,” said Mr Maziriri.

He challenged farmers to be responsible by honouring their power bills.
“Many farmers are letting us down by not paying bills. We need you to assist us so that we can also assist you. The situation shows that you are not helping us,” said the official.

Mr Maziriri said the power utility company was facing challenges to supply enough power due to power cuts which were being caused by constant breakdown of its generating units due to ageing machinery.

He said the company was operating with an antiquated distribution network resulting in intermittent power supplies.
“There is a need for farmers to pay to enable the utility to give effective support,” he said.

Mr Mazariri said the challenge of power supply situation was also due to curtailed imports and power shortages in the region.
However, some farmers at the congress complained that the tariffs were too high and unsustainable.

“The tariffs are high and we can’t afford to pay them. They should be reviewed downwards,” said a farmer.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development responsible for Cropping Davis Marapira, concurred with the farmers and said that the Government was engaging relevant stakeholders over the issue.

“The Zesa tariffs are too high for the farmers and we are going to engage the relevant authorities to see how best we can solve the issue,” said Deputy Minister Marapira.

He added that the tariffs were also high for water hence more negotiations with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa).
Some farmers have complained that electricity charges were contributing to reduced productivity at their farms.

Some farmers in Esigodini have reportedly stopped some of their activities because they cannot meet charges by Zesa.
Wheat farmers have also reduced hectarage over the past years arguing that they cannot meet the costs of power needed to pump irrigation equipment at their farms.

Farmer organisations said they were negotiating with the power company for flexible terms.

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