Minister Joseph Made
Whinsley Masara Chronicle Reporter
TREASURY has released $14,5 million to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to clear all outstanding payments to farmers for the 2014 to 2015 season, clearing the way for a good start to the new farming season.
GMB chairman Charles Chikaura said as at Tuesday, $11,007, 255. 89 had been paid to farmers’ respective bank accounts while the balance of $3, 492, 744. 11 was at their depots to be paid in cash to farmers who do not have bank accounts.
He urged farmers who have not collected their payments to visit their depots to collect their money.
“A receipt from Treasury was issued to GMB on November 5 to clear all outstanding farmer payments for the 2014 and 2015 grain marketing season, as well as commence part payments for grain delivered in 2015-2016,” said Chikaura.
“As at today’s date, GMB depots country wide are holding a total of $480,158.03 in uncollected farmer cash payments from previous disbursements dating back to August 2015. It’s evident that some farmers without bank accounts are not collecting their payments at depots where they delivered their grain.”
He said the situation whereby farmers were not collecting their payments was more prevalent at depots in Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East.
“Accordingly, farmers without bank accounts who delivered grain in the previous marketing season and haven’t yet been paid, are urged to visit their respective depots to collect their payments,’ Chikaura said.
He advised farmers that the government had put in place a financing plan to clear outstanding farmer payments for the 2015 to 2016 marketing season.
“The plan is already being implemented through the GMB and outstanding payments are expected to be cleared as soon as possible,” said Chikaura.
In August, the government released $15 million to the GMB for payment to farmers who delivered their grain to the national granary.
At that time, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made said the payments were in line with the promise made by Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa during the Mid-Term Fiscal Policy Review Statement in August that farmers would be prioritised so that they start preparing for the new farming season.