adminGeorge Maponga Masvingo Bureau
Commercial sugarcane farmers in the Lowveld have signalled their intention to engage Government over the contentious milling charges that were early this year increased in favour of Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe.
The charges left hundreds of individual farmers struggling to sustain their operations. Government, through the then Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in March this year approved a new Division of Proceeds (DOPs), resulting in sugarcane milling charges increasing from about 17 percent to 23 percent.
Newly-elected Commercial Sugarcane Farmers Association of Zimbabwe chairman Captain Admore Hwarare (Rtd) yesterday said they were open for dialogue to resolve the contentious DOP dispute. Capt Hwarare (Rtd) said plans were at an advanced stage to engage Industry, Commerce and Enterprise Development Minister Dr Mike Bimha over the issue.
“We have already written to Minister Bimha expressing our readiness to enter into dialogue with Tongaat and Government to solve the DOP stand off to achieve a win-win outcome that satisfies all the parties. We think the move to take Government to court was ill-advised and there is unanimity among sugarcane farmers that the best foot forward is to sit down on the table and enter into dialogue,” he said.
DOP is a scientific ratio used to calculate how sugarcane farmers share proceeds with Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe, which runs mills at Triangle and Hippo Valley.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter