Staff Reporter

Government’s commitment towards ensuring timeous payment of delivered grain has seen the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) paying ZWL47 billion to farmers, the parastatal Chief Executive Officer, Rockie Mutenha has said.

Mr Mutenha attributed the smooth and efficient payment of grain delivered to GMB, to the Second Republic’s commitment to empower the farmers.

“Credit goes to the government for mobilising such huge amounts to pay farmers. Over the previous years we used to run battles with farmers as we failed to pay them on time. The Second Republic has brought smiles to farmers and as we speak deliveries have been impressive for all grains maize, wheat and other traditional grains,” said Mutenha.

Maize deliveries to the GMB have gone past 986 000 metric tonnes. Total grain deliveries, inclusive of wheat and traditional grains, have reached 1.3 million metric tonnes.

Government has paid over 47 billion Zimbabwe dollars for grain and wheat delivered this year, in a move that has seen farmers increasing deliveries to the GMB.

Meanwhile farmers in most parts of the country have started planting with some, finalising on land preparations as they wait for the rains.

Distribution of inputs under various support programmes is under way across the country. The Government is distributing inputs through programmes such as Pfumvudza/ Intwasa conservation scheme, Presidential Input Scheme, National enhanced Crop Productivity Scheme, better known as Command Agriculture, the Livestock Growth Plan and the farm mechanisation programme.

A forecast of normal to above normal rains has been issued for this agricultural season, increases chances for another bumper harvest.

The Government is targeting growing agriculture to a US$8.2 billion sector by 2025 through the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy.