Online Reporter
Harmony Agere
Government says the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has settled about 85 percent of its 2024/25 payment obligations to farmers, as the country projects a good harvest for the 2025/26 agricultural season.
This was revealed during a post-Cabinet media briefing this afternoon.
It was reported that Cabinet considered and approved an update on the 2025/26 Summer Crops Marketing and the 2026 Winter Crop Production Plan that was presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Dr Anxious Jongwe Masuka.
According to the update, as at April 24, 2026, the GMB had settled 88.26 percent of its US dollar obligations and 82.73 percent of ZiG payments, leaving outstanding balances of US$4.3 million and ZiG61.8 million owed to farmers.
Cabinet also noted that total cereal production for the 2025/26 summer season is projected at 2,740,272 metric tonnes comprising maize, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet.
Grain stocks currently held by the GMB stand at 158,853 metric tonnes, including maize, traditional grains and wheat.
Government said the marketing framework for the season will cover five categories of farmers – those under the Climate-Proofed Presidential Input Scheme (Pfumvudza/Intwasa), self-financed farmers, beneficiaries of the National Enhanced Agricultural Production Scheme supported by AFC and CBZ, farmers financed by private contractors, and those under the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority.
