Source: Cabinet orders GMB to accept grain transparently – DailyNews Live
Tendai Kamhungira 3 October 2017
HARARE – Cabinet has directed the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to accept
grain from farmers in an open and transparent manner, following reports
that people were actually paying to get their grain accepted by the
country’s granary.
This comes amid reports that some grain was rejected in order for the
farmers to pay a small unaccounted fee to officials for them to accept the
product.
In a statement issued by Information minister Chris Mushohwe after Cabinet
sitting yesterday, GMB was ordered to accept all grain delivered to it.
“Following concerns over the treatment of farmers delivering grain to the
GMB by the officials thereat, Cabinet discussed the matter and resolved as
follows: to direct that the GMB should receive and accept all grain
delivered to its depots across the country in an open and transparent
manner,” Mushohwe said.
He also said that Cabinet had resolved that GMB should urgently set up
satellite depots at rural districts and service centres in order to cut
down on the transport costs that are being incurred by farmers, which will
in turn boost the amount they will receive.
Mushohwe further said Cabinet had also resolved “that the GMB should
ensure that all grain delivered to it is paid for sequentially, on a
first-come first-served basis and without bias and or self-interest.
“Furthermore, Cabinet wishes to advise that any GMB or public officials
found and or believed to be conniving or colluding with unlicensed grain
merchants to prejudice farmers and the State will be dealt with resolutely
in terms of the country’s laws.”
The country’s grain flows increased this season, following the
government’s Command Agriculture programme, which saw farmers being
supplied with inputs.
Under this programme A1 farmers, whose farm sizes average six hectares,
produced 521 588 tonnes, or 24 percent of the total crop. Old resettlement
farmers, estimated to be around 76 000, also came in with 147 068 tonnes,
or seven percent.
According to official reports, small-scale commercial producers and
peri-urban farmers produced 64 538 tonnes and 7 680 tonnes, respectively.
This was an improved development in the agriculture sector as compared to
the previous seasons, although it failed to meet the projected target.
While farmers have managed to produce a substantial amount of grain, they
have witnessed a major setback on how to sell it to the GMB, which has
resulted in the Cabinet yesterday asking members of the public to report
all malpractices to the police.
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