GMB fast-tracks wheat deliveries

Farmers have delivered over 122 000 tonnes of winter wheat to Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots countrywide as farmers intensify harvesting so that they plant summer crops on time.

The deliveries are almost half of the projected wheat intake by the GMB from the 2020 winter wheat cropping season.

The parastatal anticipates an intake of 250 000 tonnes of wheat from farmers.

GMB chief executive, Mr Rockie Mutenha, yesterday said they opened depots everyday to speed up deliveries and ensure wheat harvests were not affected by early rains.

“We have received 122 932 tonnes of wheat from farmers,” he said. “During the same period last year, we had received 38 897 tonnes of wheat.

“We are open seven days a week in order to accommodate wheat deliveries being threatened by the rains. This year we are grading into premium and standard.”

GMB is buying ordinary wheat at $43 778,84 per tonne, while grade A wheat will be paid a premium price of 20 percent above the utility grade at $52 534,61.

Mr Mutenha said GMB was paying farmers within seven days of delivery.

Government acquired combine harvesters under the US$51 million John Deere programme and the US$51 million Belarus mechanisation facility.

Wheat farmers have been urged to use the recently acquired combine harvesters to speed up harvesting and protect the crop from the early rains.

Zimbabwe National Farmers Union vice president Mr Edward Dune yesterday said harvesting of wheat was on course and there were no fears of the crop being affected by rains since most farmers had removed the cereal.

Many farmers are almost through with harvesting of wheat and some have already prepared the land for summer crops.

“The first rains we received did not affect the crop, but were more of a blessing since the bulk of the crop was still at soft to hard dough stage,” said Mr Dune. “Farmers are delivering to the GMB and we are also happy with the producer price.

“We hope such viable prices will be spread across all commodities. As we get into the summer cropping season, we hope Government will announce a pre-planting producer price.”

Mr Dune said although combine harvesters were still few, the recently launched John Deere and Belarus Mechanisation facilities greatly assisted wheat growers harvest their crop on time.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Mr Shadreck Makombe said the combine harvesters sourced by Government helped a number of farmers.

“The machinery is helping farmers,” he said. “However, we feel there is need for more harvesters. Farmers on the other hand should be pro-active to reduce losses.

“We have a good crop and farmers should run around to secure combine harvesters before the rains.”

Zimbabwe is expected to harvest nine months’ supply of wheat from the 2020 winter crop, saving the Government up to US$100 million in imports.

Last season, wheat farmers produced 90 000 tonnes, leaving a deficit of 310 000 tonnes.

The country requires at least 400 000 tonnes of wheat a year to meet its flour demands, a tonnage the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement is keen to achieve in line with the Government’s Vision 2030 of achieving an upper middle income economy.

The ministry is working on the multiplication of wheat seed in preparation for the 2021-2022 summer wheat cropping season.-herald.co.zw