The Grain Marketing Board in Zimbabwe has received more than 130 000 tonnes of grain from farmers in the first eight weeks of the marketing season.
GMB chief executive, Mr Rockie Mutenha confirmed the report and said that farmers had delivered 125 300 tonnes of maize to the depots compared to just 37 000 tonnes delivered by farmers during the same period last year.
Farmers have also delivered 10 158 tonnes of traditional grains, up from the 623 tonnes received same period last year and 8 185 tonnes of soyabeans, compared to 852 tonnes last year. As a result they are being urged to dry their crop properly.
“Payments are being done within prescribed time. We urge farmers to dry their crop before delivering as the recent rainy spell will have increased the moisture content of the crops and the maximum permitted moisture content for a GMB delivery is of 12,5%,” said Mr. Mutenha.
Availability of adequate supplies
“We are receiving an average of more 5 000 tonnes per day and every day the graph is going up. GMB had expected to receive 54 000 tonnes of maize by end of May, but deliveries surpassed the target,” he added.
Meanwhile side marketing of maize and soya beans is banned meaning that farmers who benefited from Pfumvudza/Intwasa may not sell grain to private buyers, but must deliver their crop to the GMB depots. The Grain Marketing Board (GMB), the country’s leading grain trade and Marketing Company was established in 1931 as the Maize Control Board with a responsibility to accord local maize producers their fair share of the local and export markets and also to provide them with a guaranteed outlet for their excess maize produced.
The establishment of the Board was also to ensure the availability of adequate supplies of maize for the local demand either from internal production or from exports. It was renamed Grain Marketing Board in 1951 under the Grain Marketing Act.
