The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
THE Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has started procuring and moving bags to be distributed to farmers for the collection of the yield obtained from the 2016/17 farming season to all its depots and grain collection centres throughout the country.
The country is expecting a maize harvest of about 2,7 million tonnes during the 2016/17 farming season boosted by the success of the Special Maize Programme commonly referred to as Command Agriculture with a bigger tonnage also expected from small grains such as sorghum, millet and rapoko. GMB is buying maize, sorghum and millets at $390 per tonne.
“The GMB is in the process of procuring and moving empty bags to depots for distribution to farmers. The recommended grain bags marked ‘GMB’ which are UV stabilised are now available at all GMB depots at a cost of $0,60 per 50kg (kilogramme) bag. The GMB will repurchase the same bags after use at $0,40 each.
“The GMB urges farmers to use these bags as they are specifically made for long term storage of grain and this will minimise post-harvest losses. Farmers that intend to deliver bagged maize must approach their nearest GMB depot to purchase empty bags on stop order in line with their expected deliveries,” GMB corporate communications officer Mr Joseph Katete said in a statement.
He said GMB was accepting maize at a moisture content of 12,5 percent.
“Farmers can bring their samples for moisture content testing free of charge at their nearest GMB depot. The GMB endeavours to maintain high quality standards in terms of grain storage and as such it encourages farmers to ensure that the grain delivered to the GMB is free from all foreign matter,” said Mr Katete. The company is in the process of registering farmers throughout the country to come up with an up to date database and for ease of payment.
“Upon registering, farmers will be issued with a GMB Farmer Identification Card which they should present at our depots in their dealings with GMB. Farmers are encouraged to open bank accounts for ease of payment and should expect payment within the shortest possible time from the date of delivery,” said Mr Katete.
He said GMB has identified permanent and mobile collection points in various wards across the country all within a five kilometre radius so that farmers do not travel long distances to deliver their grain.
“A full list of the collection points will be communicated in the print media in due course,” said Mr Katete.
