The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has reported that maize deliveries have exceeded the projected target of 44 000 tonnes for the month of May.
GMB chief executive Mr Rockie Mutenha made the revelations to The Sunday News on the sidelines of the Interactive Meeting he had with the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement and Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution on agriculture and land issues in Bulawayo on Friday.
Mutenha said they had received deliveries of 56 000 tonnes of maize and is anticipating the deliveries to reach a 65 000 tonnes target by the end of May. He said:
_In terms of our projections, we had projected that in May we would have received 44 000 metric tonnes of maize but amazingly as of last night (Thursday), we had received 56 000 metric tonnes of maize. We have already exceeded our projected target for May, we are expecting that by end of May which is a week from now we will reach probably 65 000 metric tonnes._
This is happening when Zimbabwe has banned the importation of maize, a development which Mutenha said was prudent since the country is expecting 2.7 metric tonnes of maize this year.
He also said in terms of payments, GMB was spot adding that the value of the crop they had received so far was about $2.89 billion, while Treasury had already given them $2 billion.
Mutenha added that arrangements had been made with transporters who carry maize from the farm to GMB and the payment arrangement is on a stop order basis.
Under the arrangement, farmers only pay money to the transporter when the maize is delivered to GMB who deduct what is due to the transporter and then give the farmer their money.
With regards to mobile depots, he said they were likely to be increased based on the demand. GMB established over 1 400 collection and buying points countrywide.
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More: Pindula News; Sunday News