Zimbabwe has set up roadblocks to prevent private buyers from purchasing maize from farmers, Harare’s Herald newspaper reported on Tuesday.
”We have our personnel on the ground to get hold of culprits that were illegally buying maize from farmers,” said Grain Marketing Board (GMB) head Samuel Muvuti.
”We are expecting more maize to be delivered without any problems.”
The GMB had tightened security against private buyers by setting up roadblocks along the country’s major roads with the help of the police.
About 30 000 tonnes of maize have so far been delivered to GMB depots and more was expected to come in as many farmers have now completed harvesting.
”Maize is a controlled commodity and the illegal private buyers and the farmers too, must know that it’s an offence that carries a jail term according to the GMB Act,” said Muvuti.
He said most farmers were willing to deliver their maize to the GMB.
But private maize buyers were taking advantage of transport problems to intercept farmers before they deliver their maize to GMB depots.
The dealers were offering farmers between Zim$35-million and Zim$37-million a ton while GMB pays Zim$31-million per tonne.
Zimbabwe was this year projected to harvest about 1,8-million metric tonnes of maize of which 900 000 were expected to be delivered to the GMB.
Last year, the country produced between 750 000 and one million tonnes against the national requirement of 1,8-million.
The deficit saw $135-million being directed towards grain imports last year. – Sapa