Rogue buyers rip off farmers

Conrad Mupesa Herald Correspondent
Illegal grain buyers continue to take advantage of the unavailability of cash to offer farmers prices way below the gazetted price of $390 per tonne. This comes as most farmers in rural and farming communities have no access to alternative payment methods such as point of sale machines. A three-tier pricing has also driven farmers to illegal buyers as they are charged extra to purchase using mobile money platforms like EcoCash. In most parts of Mashonaland West where a bumper maize harvest was realised, farmers are still being paid a paltry $150 per tonne by the buyers.

The illegal buyers deliver the maize to the Grain Marketing Board for a profit. This comes amid complaints that the illegal buyers are using manipulated scales to prejudice farmers. With payments for grain delivered to GMB taking up to a month, farmers end up going to illegal buyers to cover exigencies.

“Normally, we are forced to sell our grains to the illegal buyers because we will be in dire need of cash,” said Mr Gift Karimazondo from Mhangura.
“It takes us up to a month to receive payment. Illegal buyers prey on our need for cash, but their prices are very low.” Mr Karimazondo said the prices they were paying did not cover production costs.

“We do not have access to point of sell machines in our areas and with the extra charges put on every item we buy using mobile money platforms like EcoCash by retailers, it will end up being the same with getting the little cash from illegal buyers,” said another farmer Mr Joseph Chabikwa. Retailers are charging between 10 and 30 percent for every purchase. Others prefer selling to illegal buyers as they come to their doorsteps thereby eliminating transport cost. Government has called on farmers to deliver grain to GMB for their effort’s worth. A crackdown by the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) on illegal buyers in areas such as Mhangura and Magunje saw buyers lying low, but they have since sprouted.