GMB Pledges To Pay US$26 Million Owed To Wheat Farmers Soon
The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has pledged to pay all wheat farmers that delivered their crop their outstanding payments in foreign currency starting this week.
To date, the government has reportedly paid up to ZWL$37 billion and US$4 million to wheat farmers, with outstanding payments now around US$26 million.
Speaking during a Green field day held in Mazowe on Friday, GMB operations director, Forward Takaendesa said:
We managed to pay 67 percent in the Zim dollar component. Those with errors on their accounts and those who delivered their crop late were also affected, but we are sure that all those are going to be paid.
Efforts are being made to aggregate such amounts. We are trying our best. By next week, we are sure that we are going to pay our farmers in US dollars.
Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers Association Trust president Depinah Nkomo urged GMB to expeditiously pay farmers early to enable them to plan.
GMB is paying ZWL$268 048 plus US$220 for a tonne of premium grade, while standard grade receives $243 680 plus US$200 per tonne.
Last season wheat farmers produced more than 380 000 tonnes. | The Herald
