The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has announced that it has disbursed ZWL$157 billion and US$27.2 million to farmers for both summer crop intake and winter wheat deliveries. However, the parastatal still owes farmers ZWL$12.3 billion and US$39 million.
According to a statement by GMB CEO Edson Badarai, efforts are underway to expedite the clearance of the outstanding balances. The Treasury is actively working to mobilize financial resources to settle the debts.
Despite the delays in payments, GMB expressed its gratitude to farmers for their unwavering commitment to agricultural development.
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The board reiterated its dedication to supporting President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision for agriculture transformation and food security.
GMB’s history of delayed payments has had adverse effects on farming operations nationwide. Recent reports highlighted disconnections by utility companies like ZESA and ZINWA due to farmers’ inability to settle bills promptly. Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Shadreck Makombe attributed these challenges to delayed payments by GMB.
In other story , Deputy Minister ‘Douglas Karoro’ Fraud Trial Begins. With a GMB regional enterprise risk officer on the witness stand, the fraud trial of former deputy minister of lands, agriculture, fisheries, water, and rural development Douglas Karoro and assistant manager Lovejoy Ngowe of the GMB Mushumbi Pools depot got underway today.
According to allegations made against them, in March of last year, Karoro and Ngowe stole $43,000 worth of agricultural inputs intended for farmers in the Mbire constituency under the Presidential Inputs Scheme….read in full