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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
The export of soya beans, wheat and barley by unauthorised persons has been banned and farmers growing soya beans, unless delivering these grains to the Grain Marketing Board or having written permission to move grain, can only move five bags at a time, as the Second Republic seeks to fight side marketing of agricultural produce.
In a gazetted Statutory Instrument, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka said only the Grain Marketing Board was authorised to export soya beans, wheat and barley and had issued regulations under which they could be traded.
According to the regulations, a person who acquires any soya beans for use as seed from GMB or any authorised agents shall not use or dispose it for any other purpose unless with the written permission of the GMB.
If a producer or farmer is caught moving more than 5x50kg bags of soya beans around the country, a police officer or other authorised person can confiscate the soya beans.
But the new regulations make it clear that farmers can move far more soya beans on the way to selling these to the Grain Marketing Board, or when authorised in writing to transport soya for any other specified purpose, reads the regulations.
Effectively soya beans, wheat and barley have now been brought under the same sort of regulations that already apply to maize.
“With effect from the date of commencement of these regulations, no person other than the GMB shall export from Zimbabwe soya beans of any quantity or any description until such a date that shall be specified by the minister,” reads the regulations.
The regulations stipulate that a registered self-financed farmer may buy or acquire soya beans, wheat or barley either through a certified warehouse registered with the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange, or from GMB or from a soya beans producer with whom the farmer has contracted to produce the crop.
Online Reporter