Zesa to remove pre-paid meters from irrigation schemes

Roberta Katunga, Senior Business Reporter
ZESA has started removing pre-paid meters from irrigation schemes around the country, a move likely to boost production of crops and improve the country’s food security.

Farmers had complained that operations at irrigation schemes were being hampered by the pre-paid meters and were arguing that farming pays only after harvest hence they could not afford to pre-pay electricity.

Zesa spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira confirmed the development and said replacement of pre-paid meters at irrigation schemes has already started.

“Zesa is removing all pre-paid meters from irrigation schemes in the interests of the ZimAsset, food security cluster. This measure will ensure that farmers can conduct their business and pay for their electricity costs when they harvest their crops,” said Mr Gwasira.

Last year Zesa defended its pre-paid meter system in farming areas saying this had given the farmers the opportunity to manage consumption and budget for their operations and at the same time minimising costs for them as there would be no need for production of bills, meter reading, disconnections and reconnections of electricity.

However, after engagements with farmers, Zesa agreed to reverse the decision. Zimbabwe Commercial Famers’ Union (ZCFU) president Mr Wonder Chabikwa said the move by Zesa was a welcome development that the farmers had been lobbying for.

He said farmers had been finding it difficult to irrigate and pay in advance for electricity.

“We had engaged the power utility on the issue as this was a challenge to farmers. We requested that an option be made available for the farmers so that those who could afford the prepaid meter system remain on it while those who were struggling are put on a post paid system.

The removal of the pre-paid meters means that farmers can pay for their electricity after harvesting and getting proceeds from their crops,” said Mr Chabikwa.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Responsible for Cropping, Davis Marapira also commended the move by Zesa and said that approach would be good for farmers.

Deputy Minister Marapira said removing pre-paid meters would allow farmers a breathing space between cropping and harvesting whenever they are required to pay their bills.

“It takes about six months to harvest crops and during the cropping period farmers may not have the income to pay Zesa bills on a daily basis whenever they have to irrigate their crops.

Half yearly payments are the best for farmers after they have also received their payments from GMB or wherever they would deliver their produce,” he said.

He added that farmers should be allowed to pay through a stop order scheme as this was manageable.