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Oliver Kazunga Senior Business Reporter
THE Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has launched a grain swap initiative aimed at encouraging maize and traditional grains production in appropriate agro-ecological regions, its chief executive Dr Edison Badarai said.
Zimbabwe has five agro-ecological regions with one to three having the best agricultural suitability for maize, the main staple, while regions four and five have good climatic conditions for traditional grains farming.
However, there seems to be an obsession with growing maize even in regions where the crop does not thrive.
Farmers, particularly in the drier regions, often suffer huge losses due to crop failures despite having the option to grow traditional grains such as rapoko, millet or sorghum. Under the new initiative, farmers can exchange a maximum of five 50 kg bags of their maize for traditional grains at GMB depots or vice versa.
The producer price for maize and traditional grains is US$335 per tonne, meaning they will be swapped at a par or zero rate.
“Mainly the purpose (of the swap initiative) is to…promote appropriate grain production in the ecological regions,” Dr Badarai said on X social media account, previously known as Twitter.
“For example, in our region four and five we expect people to be growing traditional grains — one up to three; that’s your maize.
“If you want to swap or exchange maize for traditional grain, it’s 1:1 and we have said the maximum per month you can (exchange) is five bags.
“If you have got maize you can exchange for traditional grains, if you have got traditional grains, you can exchange to get maize.”
He said the move would also ensure that farmers delivered clean traditional grain with the recommended moisture content of 12.5 percent.
The GMB has paid $46 billion to the farmers who have delivered their grain during this year’s marketing season while the foreign currency payment portion is at US$10,1 million.
The payments would help in supporting the farmers ahead of the forthcoming summer cropping season.
In his post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere advised that stocks for maize at GMB as of September 24, 2023, stood at 215 000 tonnes, traditional grains at 48 026 tonnes and 137 414 tonnes of wheat.
He said wheat stocks would last for a period of six months at a monthly drawdown rate of 21 000 tonnes.
With a projected El Nino season ahead, the private sector has been allowed to import additional maize and soya beans.
“In addition, the importation of mealie meal by households will continue duty-free,” said Dr Muswere.
Online Reporter