Farmers urged to submit crop projections

The farmers are required to forward their projections to their nearest GMB depots to enable it start planning for cash requirements.
GMB corporate communications officer Mrs Muriel Zemura said maize, wheat, sorghum, millet and other grain producers should submit their projections to the parastatal by20  April .

Farmers were expected to forward important information such as the name of the farmer, province, district, crop to be delivered, expected delivery date, projected production, projected sales to GMB, projected sales to private buyers and retention.
“This forward planning will help to improve service delivery to farmers. Farmers are requested to take this information to their respective depots before 20 April  2012.

We want to thank farmers for their patience and continued deliveries of grains to the GMB.  This support ensures National Food Security and promotes restoration of Zimbabwe to the regional food basket status.
GMB has been having difficulties paying farmers who delivered their grain to its depots as it only gets funds from Treasury.

Recently Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made said Government owed $35 million for the grain delivered to GMB depots.  
“It is unfortunate that farmers have not been paid for their grain. At the moment we are delivering the same grain to deficit areas. On the other hand Zesa is disconnecting the same farmers for none payment of bills, banks want their money from the same farmers and this is not conducive for production,” he said.

GMB was the sole buyer of maize and wheat until the liberalisation of the market in 2009.
The parastatal is among buyers offering high prices although it takes months before farmers can get their cash.

This has forced farmers in some instances to sell their grain at give away prices on the side market for quick money.
Government is encouraging farmers to deliver their grain to the GMB especially after realising that the bulk of the crop that was planted this season was now a write off.

The food emergency committee has been resuscitated to immediately assess the food situation and requirements countrywide.
The committee is to establish the number of people requiring assistance, quantity of locally produced grain and total national requirement to close the gap between the available grain and shortage.