THE Agricultural Marketing Authority has warned all registered grain and oilseed contractors to strictly adhere to contracting regulations and submit complete updated farmer registers by today.
In a notice published last week, AMA called on all contractors and growers to abide by all contracting regulations as outlined in Statutory Instrument 140 of 2013, as amended by Statutory Instrument 274 of 2021 and Statutory Instrument 87 of 2025.
SI 274, cited as the Agricultural Marketing Authority (Grain, Oilseed and Oilseed Products) Regulations, 2021, aim to regulate the participation in the production, buying or processing of any grain, oilseeds and products by producers, buyers or processors and promote orderly marketing and fair-trade practices in the grain and oilseeds industry.
It also aims to promote production of grain and oilseeds, including contract farming and provide a mechanism for enforcement of contractual obligations to protect the investment of farmers, contractors and suppliers.
“In terms of the given regulations, any contractor who fails to deliver inputs and on time or fails to pay purchase price as agreed in the contract within agreed timeframes shall be liable for any losses and/or to compensate the grower for double the amount any monies used to purchase inputs by the grower due to failure of contractor to deliver inputs,” said AMA.
AMA said all contractors were compelled to submit complete updated farmer registers by December 15 as required by law to avoid any punitive action being undertaken on errant behaviour.
The Authority has also called on growers to register by December 15.
Grains are cereals suitable as food while oilseeds are those grains that are valuable for the oil content they produce.
In Zimbabwe the mostly grown cereals are wheat, white maize, sorghum, millet and rapoko while for oilseeds cotton, soya beans, ground nuts and sunflower lead the pack.
Other grains are sugar beans, popcorn, cow peas and sesame seed.
AMA has since issued regulatory circular number 3 of 2025 cited as the Agricultural Marketing Authority (Regulatory Circular on Cotton Inputs Distribution and applicable penalties) Regulatory Circular Number 3 of 2025 to regulate cotton inputs distribution.
AMA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development established in terms of an Act of Parliament, the Agricultural Marketing Authority Act (Chapter 18:24)
It is mandated with the overall regulation of the production, marketing and processing of agricultural products in Zimbabwe with the exception of tobacco and pigs.
The Authority also issued regulatory circular number 4 of 2025 cited as the Agricultural Marketing Authority (Regulatory Circular on Sesame Inputs Distribution and applicable penalties) Regulatory Circular Number 4 of 2025 to regulate sesame inputs distribution.
Sesame cultivation grew by 238 percent from 18 422 hectares in the 2021/22 season to 62 259 in the 2024/25 season.
The second round Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment report (CLAFA-2) 2024/25 summer season report revealed that sesame production was estimated at 20 667 tonnes.-hrald
