Government Buckles To Farmers’ Demands

By Daphne Nyakanyanga

On Tuesday government bowed to pressure from maize producers who were reneging to sell the product to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) citing poor prices which required a review.

An uproar from the farmers pressured Cabinet to offer them a US$90 per metric ton incentive (backdated to April) for early delivery of the product to the GMB.

This was after farmers complained that the recently reviewed prize of ZWL$75 000 per metric tonne had already been eroded by inflation putting all their farming efforts in vain.

Standing in for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Postal and Courier Services minister Dr Jenfan Muswere made the announcement during the post-Cabinet media press briefing.

“….government has approved a review of the prize of maize to ensure farmers’ viability. The current maize price has been reviewed to ZW$75 000/MT plus a fixed early delivery incentive of US$90/MT. The early delivery incentive will be extended to other crops such as traditional grains, sunflower and soyabean,” he said.

Recently government threatened to implement provisions of Statutory Instrument 145 of 2019 following alleged side marketing of maize and other grains by farmers who were not delivering grain to the GMB.

“No person or statutory body or company or entity shall buy or otherwise acquire any maize from any farmer or producer otherwise than through the Grain Marketing Board,” reads the provision.

According to media reports, a memo dated May 23, 2022, was sent to GMB boss Rocky Mutenha from Secretary for Lands and Agriculture, John Basera instructing the authority to partner the country’s security services in conducting operational raids of maize from farmers who were unwilling to deliver grain to the authority.

“You are therefore required to operationalise the provisions of S.I 145/19 in order to prevent and avert side marketing of grain with immediate effect. This includes but is not limited to conducting grain busting operations at various points such as roadblocks. You are also encouraged to ride on our partnership with members of the joint operation command in the execution of this important task,” it read.

The move came at a time there were fears that Zimbabwe could be hit by grain shortages prompting government to allow private players to grain availability by imports from neighbouring countries.

This saw the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe securing a deal to import 400 000 tons of maize from Zambia and Malawi.

“I am pleased to inform the nation that GMAZ has secured 400 000 tons of white maize from Malawi and Zambia,” GMAZ chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara said after the agreement.

“Forty percent of this maize will be coming from grain utility companies namely Food Reserve Agency of Zambia and Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) of Malawi,” he said.

The first consignment is expected in the country by June 30. Nhau/Indaba