adminmaize depending with the period.
The buyers have, however, increased the buying price to between US$350 and US$370 per tonne. The GMB is offering US$295 per tonne although farmers expect the price to increase during this marketing season which opened on April 1. According to the latest ZFU weekly market guide, buyers are paying cash on delivery with others giving an option of collecting from the farms as they compete for the scarce commodity. Other buyers are, however, offering payment through transfers within seven days while a few among the highest buyers are paying within 30 days of delivery.
Some farmers said they are only selling the maize when there is urgent need for cash. Chinhoyi farmer, Mrs Jestina Tswatswa said the prices have increased because many people have run out of stocks as they wait for the next harvest.
“The number of people coming to buy maize has increased and we have some from Chiredzi and Masvingo. We can not continue to sell the grain otherwise we may end up running out of stock and we will be forced to go to the urban areas where the commodity will be selling at exorbitant prices,” she said.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made recently confirmed that the maize price had firmed on the regional market although GMB had not increased the price.
Online Reporter