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GOVERNMENT has activated measures to curb rampant side-marketing of grain by some farmers who by law are required to sell grain to the sole buyer, the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) but are selling to unauthorised traders.
Since the start of the marketing season in April, only 5 000 MT has been delivered to GMB depots countrywide, Permanent Secretary for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Dr John Basera has said.
Recently, GMB advised maize and traditional grain farmers to start delivering their produce at the board deports countrywide after announcing payment modalities in local and foreign currency.
The payment consists of a 30 percent United States dollar and 70 percent local currency component
. But unscrupulous farmers are engaged in the side-marketing of grain.
“Ministry has noted with concern the low deliveries of grain to GMB since the start of the marketing season on 1 April 2022.
“This is evident of side marketing tendencies by farmers considering that about 30 000MT has been harvested to date vis-a-vis deliveries to GMB about 5000MT,” said Dr Basera in a government circular dated 24 May 2022.
“You are therefore, required to operationalise the provisions of S.1 145/19 to prevent and avert the side marketing of grain with immediate effect.
This includes but is not limited to conducting grain bursting operations at various non-GMB depots as well as setting up permit inspections at variously such roadblocks.
“You are also encouraged to ride on our partnerships with members of the Point Operation Command in the execution of this important task.”
In April, GMB said trading in controlled products by either buying or selling without authority from the Government remains an offence that attracts a penalty.
Maize, soya beans, wheat and barley are all on the controlled produce list, which restricts farmers to sell to the GMB or contractor who would have financed production.
The controls are contained in the Statutory Instrument (SI) 145 of 2019 Grain Marketing (Control of Sale of Maize regulations 2019), SI 97 of 2021 Grain Marketing (Control of Sale of Soya Beans regulations 2021) and SI 188 of 2021 Grain Marketing (Control of Sale of Wheat and Barley regulations 2021).
The board said all farmers should deliver products to the nearest depot within two weeks of harvesting.
It added that all farmers, producers and contractors are required to apply for a movement permit where grains are being moved from one area to the other.
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