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Edgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
THE Grain Marketing Board (GMB) is engaging private transporters to partake in its expanded mandate within the agriculture industry, as prospects for a brighter 2024/25 season loom from the widespread rains pounding the country.
In a recent notice, the GMB invited all prospective transporters to submit company profiles for consideration in the execution of its various assignments.
“The GMB is inviting interested transporters for the year 2025 to submit company profiles consisting of the following documents for registration: letter of introduction, certificate of incorporation, valid operator’s license and goods in transit cover insurance with a minimum cover of US$20 000 or equivalent at bank rate,” read the notice.
The transporters ought to have a valid certificate of fitness, trade history and reference from three reputable companies as well as a valid value added tax (VAT) certificate, added the notice.
“Proof of valid registration with Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ), CR14 and CR6 Forms, banking details, lease agreement or proof of premise ownership and tracking system confirmation letter are also mandatory,” read the notice.
The GMB also requested the potential transporters to attend a mandatory orientation workshop on any of the three cluster regions on different dates.
“For the Northern region (covering Harare and the three Mashonaland provinces) the workshop will take place at Aspindale Training Centre tomorrow.
“Eastern region housing Masvingo and Manicaland provinces will have its workshop at Mutare GMB depot on January 24 with the Southern region (covering Bulawayo, Matabeleland South and North provinces and Midlands) slated for January 22 at Bulawayo’s Nkulumane depot,” added the notice.
Participants are required to pay orientation and garage inspection fees of US$250.
The GMB is responsible for ensuring the country’s food security by marketing and trading grains and other agricultural products.
It achieves this by undertaking the roles of buying grains and oilseeds from farmers and selling them to domestic processors and international markets, storing grains and oilseeds in depots across the country, distributing farming inputs, such as seeds, chemicals and fertilisers to farmers.
The GMB also imports grains and oilseeds when needed and exports them when in excess and offers fumigation, product quality control and commercial training.
Maintenance of the strategic grain reserve (SGR) is one of the key functions of GMB, as well as the distribution of grain to vulnerable groups through social welfare programmes.
The GMB’s mandate was expanded last year when cotton input storage and distribution was put under its purview.
Due to the seasonality of agricultural production and the wide dispersion of smallholder farmers, GMB’s wide depot network across the country requires a vast transport distribution and delivery mechanism that allows inputs to reach beneficiaries on time.
Online Reporter