"GMB To Clear US$14 Million Wheat Farmers Debt By Mid-April"
The Government says it will clear the US$14 million owed to wheat farmers for the produce delivered to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) in the next three weeks.
Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary, John Basera said Treasury was committed to clearing the debt by mid-April.
The Manica Post reported that Basera made the pledge while addressing farmers at a Pfumvudza Field Day in Chiendambuya last week on Friday. Basera said:
We have agreed with the Treasury to clear the outstanding debt of US$14 million owed to wheat farmers in the next three weeks.
By mid-April, we should have cleared it so that farmers can prepare for winter wheat cropping.
The wheat delivered to GMB was worth $39 billion and the whole amount was paid in full, leaving the USD component outstanding.
The USD component was US$31 million, and we are left with US$14 million.
The government said wheat farmers were paid 30 percent of their sales proceeds in foreign currency and 70 percent in local currency.
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