GMB ready for increased grain deliveries
THE Grain Marketing Board (GMB) says it is ready to receive increased grain deliveries from farmers who are assured of getting paid between three to seven days after delivery.
The GMB has also introduced a farmer card through which it can pay farmers for convenience in accessing their monies. In the past farmers had expressed frustration over delays over payment including for last year’s deliveries.
GMB has said those who faced challenges could be linked to mobile money facilities, which the parastatal does not recommend for farmers due to associated technical problems.
Speaking at a Hwange field day organised by Agritex in Khayalethu Village where Mr Zisongo Mkwananzi and his wife Ms Virginia Dube were adjudged best farmers in Matetsi Ward, GMB Hwange depot manager Mr Pardon Chirikure encouraged farmers to deliver grain to GMB than to sell to side buyers so as to build stocks for national food security.
“We are ready to buy grain from farmers and we are going to pay for delivered gain in seven days. Our assessment so far shows that farmers will be having a bumper harvest from Intwasa/Pfumvudza crops and we encourage them to deliver to GMB than to do side marketing,” said Mr Chirikure.
He said farmers can beat post-harvest grain losses by inviting GMB experts to help them with moisture testing so that they deliver the best grain. GMB offered to help farmers with transport from around Hwange District to the depot in Hwange town.
“We will come and test the grain and pick it up once we are satisfied it has dried up. People should send to GMB for best storage because we want our district to be able to feed other districts.
“We have a farmer card, which works like a bank ATM card and can be used to make swiping transactions. Our aim is to make the process of paying farmers smooth,” said Mr Chirikure.
Matetsi ward covers Breakfast, Khayalethu, Lubangwe, Maphanengoma, Matetsi, Masue, Sikebela and Woodlands resettlement areas. The area is regarded as Hwange’s bread basket because it is the only area with good soils and viable crop farming. Farmers in the area want GMB to establish temporary collection points in their villages.
However, poor road network might affect delivery of maize as most of the roads are narrow for bigger trucks while others were badly damaged by rain.
The country expects to harvest more than 3,1 tonnes of maize this year, creating a surplus of about 1,2 million tonnes as the country’s annual maize consumption is 1,8 million tonnes. – chronicle.c.zw
