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Bianca Mlilo, Business Reporter
TREASURY has released $4,5 million to the Grain Marketing Board to pay farmers harvesting this season’s maize crop, the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Joseph Made, has said.
Responding to a question without notice in parliament, Made said although maize harvesting had started across the country, the harvest was not so high that the ministry could consider stopping maize imports.
He said the levels of deliveries to the Grain Marketing Board were substantial to the point that government would be able to use what is being harvested to mitigate drought in certain parts of the country.
“Treasury has already released $3,5 million plus $1 million, bringing the total of releases to the Grain Marketing Board to $4,5 million.
“The farmers are being paid as directed,” said Made.
“This is also to enable the farmers who are harvesting maize to be able to start the winter preparation.
“Specifically on the winter preparations, we’re going to support the farmers through this method of grain deliveries and paying those farmers to the extent that we anticipate that 25,000 hectares will be planted to wheat.”
Made said to date, the GMB had taken delivery of 16,000 metric tonnes this season.
He said he had also directed the GMB to take the maize at 13,5 percent moisture content where they normally take the grain at 12,5 percent moisture content.
“The prices obviously will be adjusted according to the moisture content levels.
“We’ve done this in order to facilitate the early deliveries of maize to the GMB.
“In terms of payment for the maize delivered, I’m happy to also indicate to the House that the farmers are being paid as they deliver their grain to the GMB,” Made said.
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