ZCFU warns of maize cheats

A farmer in Kennilworth, Bubi District, waits by the roadside for transport to carry bags of maize in this file photo

Charity Ruzvidzo Business Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union (ZCFU) has urged farmers to be wary of unscrupulous maize buyers who are buying the crop at unreasonably low prices.

In April, Cabinet approved a maize producer price of $390 per tonne for the 2014/15 marketing season increasing from the previous season’s $378 a tonne.

ZCFU Matabeleland North provincial chairman Winston Babbage told Business Chronicle that of late farmers in Binga have raised concern over unfair prices that some buyers were offering on the market taking advantage of delayed payment by the Grain Marketing Board.

“Farmers in Binga are currently facing challenges in selling their produce due to unscrupulous maize buyers who are offering to buy their maize but at low prices.

“They’re offering them 2kgs of sugar or $1,67 for a 20 litre bucket of maize which is worth $6,” he said.

Babbage said farmers were desperate for money as GMB was taking long to pay.

“Farmers are desperate for money as GMB takes very long to pay farmers. At times, some farmers face transport challenges in ferrying their produce to the depot.

“As a result, they end up turning to the unscrupulous buyers as an alternative,” said Babbage.

“We urge the farmers in other parts of the country to be wary of such buyers.”

ZCFU Binga District chairperson Trevor Nyathi said the dubious maize buyers resell the maize bought from the farmers to GMB.

“However, we’re not sure of how they’re selling to GMB as they’re not registered buyers,” said Nyathi.

He said ZCFU has engaged relevant authorities to deal with known culprits.

Agriculture is one of Zimbabwe’s economic mainstays.

In the 2015 national budget, Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa said the 2014/15 agriculture season was projected to maintain a positive production growth trajectory.

“Prospects for the 2014/15 agriculture season remain positive and production in the main crops maize, tobacco, cotton, among others is expected to remain on an upward trend.

“Overally agricultural growth for 2015 is projected at 3,4 percent,” he said.