adminElita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made has ordered the Grain Marketing Board to pay farmers cash instead of depositing their money into bank accounts or paying them through Zimpost offices.
This follows the announcement by GMB that farmers who had not provided their banking details when they delivered their grain to its depots between April 1 and July 3 should collect their money from post offices.
GMB said it was no longer paying farmers in hard cash.
But Dr Made said the strategic grain reserve was part of a Government programme and Cabinet had directed on how farmers should be paid.
“Farmers should be paid directly by GMB in cash.
“Farmers who have delivered their grain should not be tossed around.
“They should just get their money at the depots where they delivered their crop.
“It should be a farmer’s choice to have his money deposited into the bank account,” he said.
Dr Made said GMB was given cash and it should be distributed to the depots for the payments to farmers.
GMB has so far received 137 000 tonnes of maize.
Dr Made commended the Agricultural Marketing Authority for financing grain payments through bills.
Online Reporter