Farmers happy Wonder Chabikwa
Wonder Chabikwa

Wonder Chabikwa

Business Reporter
FARMERS have welcomed Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa’s efforts to raise the $52.4 million owed farmers in grain deliveries by the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) for the 2013/14 farming season.

The government admitted in a statement last week that it was struggling to clear its debt with farmers citing liquidity constraints but assured farmers that they would be paid all their outstanding money.

Minister Chinamasa said the government, in collaboration with the Agricultural and Marketing Authority (AMA) and CBZ Bank, had issued out another lot of AMA bills targeting the mobilisation of $50 million.

Last year, AMA raised $55 million from the agro bills.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union president Wonder Chabikwa said farmers were happy that the government was making efforts to pay them.

“We appreciate the efforts being made by Minister Chinamasa to raise money to pay off farmers. It’s important that the government communicates with farmers to let us know where they stand with regards to our payments,” he said.

Chabikwa however, urged the government to walk the talk and ensure farmers were paid their dues.

He said failure to do so was destroying the confidence farmers had developed in GMB.

“The first 2013/14 marketing season was very good. GMB paid farmers on time and confidence in the board was created.

“Unfortunately, we can’t say the same six months later. GMB’s inability to pay farmers on time will lead to farmers opting for private buyers,” he said.

As at December 19 last year, grain deliveries by farmers to GMB under the 2014/15 grain marketing season amounted to 255,519 tonnes valued at $101.8 million.

To date, the government has disbursed $57.6 million to GMB for payment to farmers for the grain delivered during the previous season.

Of the $57.6 million paid by the government, $51.5 million was raised through the issuance of AMA bills with the balance being paid from fiscal resources.

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