Govt set to review wheat prices

Source: Govt set to review wheat prices | The Herald October 23, 2018

Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
Government is set to review upwards wheat prices if ongoing negotiations with farmers’ representatives end well.

A tonne of wheat fetches $500 at Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and indications are that the price might be reviewed upwards.

In an interview, GMB deputy general manager operations Mr Lawrence Jasi said farmers had so far delivered 9 000 tonnes of wheat to GMB, while negations for the upward review of the prices are ongoing.

“We are now in the harvesting period for the winter crop,” he said.

“Farmers have already started delivering wheat to GMB.

“As we speak, we have received 9 000 tonnes of wheat at our depots. At the moment there are talks that Government can review upwards wheat prices.

“We were buying maize at $390 per tonne, Soya at $780 per tonne and wheat was at $500 per tonne.”

Mr Jasi said GMB had secured $75 million through the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) to purchase grain from farmers.

He said this development has improved efficiency in the payment of farmers.

Mr Jasi said farmers were now receiving their payments within two days after delivering their grain to GMB.

“We are paying our farmers two days after they deliver their maize to GMB,” he said.

“The latest that we have paid was in two weeks and in most cases it will be issues to do with farmers bank accounts.

“Some use old dysfunctional accounts, some fill in wrong bank account details and as a result the payment is delayed.

“If you don’t receive your payment within two weeks at most, approach your GMB depot.”

Mr Jasi said GMB was also improving its storage facilities across the country to accommodate a bumper harvest which the country had in the 2017/ 18 summer cropping season.