GMB Yet To Pay Farmers For Grain Delivered In 2018

13
GMB Yet To Pay Farmers For Grain Delivered In 2018
GMB Yet To Pay Farmers For Grain Delivered In 2018

Africa-PressZimbabwe. Hundreds of farmers in Chiredzi who delivered maize and sorghum to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) in 2018 are yet to be paid for their produce.

The farmers, from Chiredzi East and parts of Chiredzi North, told The NewsHawks that they delivered their grain at Chizvirizvi GMB collection point located in ward 22.

The farmers said they visited the main depot at Nandi in Chiredzi on several occasions, but were told that their names were missing from the computer system.

This is in spite of the fact that the farmers have proforma invoices which they were issued after delivering the grain.

One of the farmers, Tonderai Bandama from Chizvirizvi, who supplied 14.5 tonnes of maize to the GMB said most people in his area, which is under Chief Tshovani, are now considering selling their grain to private buyers. He said:

I am a farmer from Chizvirizvi and l supplied 14.5 tonnes of grain to GMB in 2018 and l was given proforma receipts for all deliveries, the receipts which l can give you.

Since that year, we are yet to be paid and officials from the main depot in Chiredzi are saying our information is missing from their system.

This has affected our farming programmes and we are now thinking of selling our grain to private players.

Chiredzi Rural District Council ward 22 councillor Wilfred Manyiyo said more than 200 farmers were not paid.

Responding to enquiries from The NewsHawks, GMB spokesperson Joel Katete said the grain utility is in the process of paying for deliveries made in 2020. He said:

We are paying for grain delivered in 2020. I am not aware of anyone who delivered grain in 2018 who is yet to be paid. Submit your questions in writing so that l can enquire about the issue before giving you a full comment.

Katete had not yet responded to the questions by the time of going to print.

GMB Nandi depot manager Sharon Darikwa attributed the parastatal’s failure to locate the names of affected farmers to the change of system by the GMB’s information technology department.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here