via GMB gets cash to settle debts | The Herald by Munyaradzi Musiiwa October 8, 2013
Government has provided US$9,2 million to the Grain Marketing Board to enable the parastatal to settle farmers’ outstanding payments dating back to February last year, GMB general manager Mr Albert Mandizha has said.Speaking during an interview soon after donating groceries to Queen of Peace Orphanage in Gweru yesterday, Mr Mandizha said GMB owed farmers US$10,1 million dating back to February last year.
“We are grateful to announce that Government has availed US$9,2 million to GMB that will go towards settling farmers’ outstanding payments. The payments are 18 months overdue. We have not been able to pay the farmers for the past two harvests.
“The farmers will start receiving their payments tomorrow (today),” he said.
Mr Mandizha said the disbursement of the funds to GMB was timely ahead of the summer cropping seasons.
He said the availing of the funds at a time when farmers were preparing for the 2013-2014 summer cropping season was a clear testimony of Government’s support of the farmers.
“I want to applaud the Government for the timely support they have shown to farmers.
“We have had problems in paying the farmers as well as making agricultural inputs available to them on time during the inclusive Government. We are confident that the new Government will do better and continue supporting the farmers, particularly smallholder ones.
“We are also confident that the timely disbursement of funds by Government would enable farmers to be fully prepared as we approach the 2013-2014 summer cropping season,” he said.
Mr Mandizha said Zimbabwe could reclaim its status as the breadbasket of Southern Africa if farmers were given the necessary support by Government.
COMMENTS
This dependency syndrome must come to an end.
Silo rice Silo bread ==== if GMB is not making money then close down. how can one kuwana panguva yokuda kurima as if ndizo zvinhu chete
Awa inga wani chamakatora you sold it where is the money you sold the very same maize. Iyi yokwamarange ingadai yava kuita zvimwe. Mr mugabe lets look into this. Corruption. buritsa chibange kana mari from the sales yamakaita pliz.
GMB’s CEO Albert Mandizha stop lying to parliament and the farmers. You are owing farmers for 2007 deliveries and for fertiliser bought that year 2007. It is fact that these farmers did not donate their deliveries to GMB as far as the farmers concerned know. Do not talk about paying later deliveries when you have a backlog for payments for grain delivered to GMB in 2007. It is these farmers money that you used as seed money for GMB’s various down stream activities without permission from the owners of the money. You have not only failed to pay workers for 3 months but that you have failed to pay farmers since 2007.
You admit government has given farmers US$9.1 million to settle farmers’ debts owed by GMB which I hope you will be intelligent enough to know that you need to settle farmers’ debts from 2007 todate. How stupid of you to donate to Queen of Peace Orphanage money you stole from farmers in 2007 when farmers concerned are crying loudly for what you owe them for deliveries to GMB 6 years ago.
Zimbabwe can successfully reclaim its bread basket status if you pay farmers to the last cent of all you owe them from 2007. If you don’t make a clean sweep of all outstanding payments, Zimbabwe will remain a basketcase and a permanet importer of maize grain and you, Albert Mandizha, are wholly to blame for that. Face reality Albert and pay all outstanding debts.