The Sunday News
Kudakwashe Ruzive, Harare Bureau
FARMERS delivering their harvest from last season’s bumper summer crop are reaping rich pickings at the markets, with grain and tobacco growers having already pocketed nearly $30 billion in earnings over the first eight weeks of the marketing season.
Latest data obtained from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) shows that the grain utility had paid farmers nearly $3 billion as at Thursday last week. Tobacco farmers, on the other hand, had sold crop worth over US$301 million (nearly $25 billion at the official exchange rate) by end of last week. To date, 71 518 tonnes of maize have been delivered to the GMB, up from the 21 894 tonnes that had been delivered over the same period last year.
Farmers have also delivered 4 295 tonnes of traditional grains up from 231 tonnes last year, while 5 844 tonnes of soyabean have been sold, an increase from the 689 tonnes that had been sold at the same time last year.
Farmers contracted under the CBZ Agro-Yield Scheme (Command Agriculture), who have access to mechanical driers, have led the deliveries. An efficient payment system at the GMB has also encouraged rapid deliveries.
This year’s grain marketing season commenced on 1 April, while tobacco auction floors opened on 7 April.
GMB is paying $32 000 for a tonne of maize, $48 000 for a tonne of soya bean and $38 000 for traditional grains.
The price of tobacco at auction floors is avaraging at over US$2.60/kg. Government has set aside $60 billion to ensure timely payment of farmers, with the GMB effecting payments to farmers within 72 hours of delivery.
GMB chief executive Mr Rockie Mutenha said: “Over $2, 730 000 000 has been paid for grains as at 26 May 2021.”
Zimbabwe Farmers Union director Mr Paul Zakariya said GMB’s payment system had improved immensely from previous years.
“The payment system was decentralised and payments are effected within 72 hours after delivery. We have had some complaints to do with delayed payments but these are not as bad as in other past seasons. We continue to monitor the situation as delivery volumes pick up.”
He said in future GMB should consider introducing a system where farmers are paid upon delivery.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Dr Shadreck Makombe said: “All farmers who delivered their grain to GMB have been paid so far. There have been no complaints about the payments as well. There is also transparency and no side marketing has been allowed.”
