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Vice President Mnangagwa

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
TOBACCO and maize farmers have been paid a staggering $1,4 billion this season, Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa said yesterday.

Addressing senior government officials who included Finance Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo and Agriculture Minister Dr Joseph Made and Arda officials at Fair Acres Arda Estate in Zhombe, the Acting President said tobacco farmers were paid $1 billion while to date farmers under Command Agriculture had been paid over $400 million.

Acting President Mnangagwa said the amount of money paid out to farmers this year is expected to increase considering that soya beans, wheat and cotton farmers are still being paid.

He said of the $400 million paid to maize farmers, it was for over one million tonnes of maize delivered to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).

“Farming in the country has this year enriched a lot of people in line with Zanu-PF’s Zim-Asset agenda premised on socio-economic growth. Tobacco has paid the farmers about $1 billion. Maize farmers have so far been paid $400 million and more is expected to be paid for soya beans, cotton and other farming produce. So we are talking of $1,4 billion that has gone into the pockets of the people and people’s lives should improve. Command Agriculture should make our people rich,” he said.

The Acting President said payments especially to Command Agriculture farmers had been made possible by millers who were paying Government for maize in advance.

He said the positive development has resulted in GMB being able to pay farmers within 14 days of delivering their maize.

“GMB has been able to pay farmers on time for delivered maize. 14 days is too much as most farmers are getting their money from between 7 to 10 days.

That is a welcome development aimed at enriching the people.

“That is what the Zanu-PF Government under the leadership of Presidential Mugabe has been advocating for. So those who want to get rich should support these Zanu-PF programmes,” he said.

Acting President Mnangagwa urged Zimbabweans to vote for President Mugabe in next year’s elections and embrace Command Agriculture and the Presidential Input Support Scheme as well as other empowerment programmes.

He said over 1,8 million households were going to receive free inputs under the President Input Support Scheme.

“The Presidential Input Support Scheme is for free, 1,8million households will get free inputs and fertiliser or chemicals enough for one hectare and the households have started receiving them for this summer season,” said Acting President Mnangagwa.

He said Government had included soya beans in the Command Agriculture programme.

“There are 24 crops in the country which can be financed by the Government. We have Command Fisheries, Livestock and Wildlife. We are here at Fair Acres Arda Estate to see the success of winter wheat. Earlier we were at Mbuya Nehanda Arda Estate. Arda should be commended for reviving these estates and we are going to assist this estate enlarge their hectarage from the current 485 hectares to 1 000 hectares of land which will be put under irrigation all year round,” he said.

The Acting President said Government was also advocating for the production of small grains.

He said this year over 50 000 tonnes of small grains had been delivered to the GMB.