Outcry over loans

agro-based economy.
In an interview on Monday, Zimbabwe Farmers Union second vice president Mr Berean Mukwende said banks were being insensitive to the plight of farmers.
“It’s not that farmers do not want to pay but they have been rendered destitute by the Grain Marketing Board’s failure to pay them while Zesa’s power disconnection blitz has also not helped the situation,” said Mr Mukwende.
“GMB has not paid some farmers for grain they delivered last year and those farmers have not been able to re-pay loans and even their electricity bills prompting Zesa to disconnect them and stopping production on the one hand.”
Bankers Association of Zimbabwe president Mr John Mushayavanhu could not comment yesterday as he said he was attending a meeting.
Mr Mukwende said it was unfortunate that farmers were going to have their earnings grossly slashed when the payments finally come as the interest rates banks were charging will erode their earnings.