adminLuthando Mapepa
THE prospects of profitability among hundreds of Chipinge bean farmers is being threatened by failure to connect to new genuine and dynamic markets, a feat that has given rise to the proliferation of unscrupulous dealers out to rip them off.
Hundreds of farmers who produce the legume crop are in a quandary after failing to secure viable markets to sell their produce.
August is their traditional harvesting month and the long-established buyers are reportedly showing signs of economic fatigue at a time farmers desperately need money for the upkeep of their families this drought period.
The tradition has been that by this time of the year, beans farmers would witness a stampede of buyers in the province to bargain for the nutritious crop.
However, the prospects are a complete deviation from the past with a few buyers showing interest in the crop, so far.
The Manica Post understands that smallholder farmers at Chibuwe-Musikavanhu Irrigation Scheme, which is arguably the country’s biggest peasantry scheme – have become so desperate to the extent that farmers have been duped of up to six tonnes of the crop by a dubious buyer who made them believe payment would be processed through the mobile money transfer platform, Ecocash.
The situation has become so dire that some local unscrupulous elements, among them leaders of the schemes, were now exploiting the desperation of their colleagues and ripping them off.
A local councillor who requested anonymity, said the uncouth buyers were on the prowl at Chibuwe-Musikavanhu, Mutema and Nyanyadzi.
“Yes, dubious beans buyers are using various methods to dupe farmers. They are using tricks like approaching community leaders in a bid to convince farmers to sell the beans to them without requisite security guarantees.
“They are using attractive prices as bait. They use sugar-coated statements to convince farmers that they will make payments through Ecocash and bank transfers once they amassed the target tonnage.
“In another case which was reported in Chibuwe, the buyers approached a local community leader to make them appear genuine and at the same time to convince farmers to sell their beans to him. He promised them a higher price of $1, 30 per kilogramme. This is a strategy to spoil the soup for a local canning concern that has offered to buy at $1 per kilogramme. After duping the farmers of their produce, the buyer disappeared into thin air, leaving farmers counting their losses,” said the source.
Farmers in Mutema, Musikavanhu and Nyanyadzi are still keeping their grains in their warehouses because of unavailability of instant cash from the few companies promised to buy.
This publication establish that only few companies such as Pick Trading are buying beans pegging $1 per kilo, which farmers are arguing was pittance.
Chipinge Agritex officer, Mr Tapiwa Chagwesha, said local beans farmers should be careful when engaging buyers.
“We are urging farmers to sell their beans to usual well known buyers, as trading with fly-by night buyers might be dangerous. Once a farmer deals with these buyers they should play it carefully as we have received reports of some of them paying farmers using fake notes and disappear after the fraudulent transaction,” he said.
Mr Chagwesha urged farmers to be patient enough as the beans prices may likely to rise in the next coming months.
“We are anticipating that buyers of beans will come despite the delay. Yesteryear buyers will always fight to get a share from these farmers.
“We are encouraging farmers to sell cautiously to cater for basic needs and so that they will dispose of large quantities to genuine and proven buyers,” he added
Chibuwe-Musikavanhu Irrigation Scheme has a total of 694 hectares.
Farmers produce up to 1000 tonnes of beans every year.
Online Reporter