In
a
statement,
GMB
CEO
Edson
Badarai
confirmed
that
the
funds
are
already
being
processed
for
disbursement.
He
added:
The
Board
sincerely
appreciates
farmers
who
continue
to
deliver
to
GMB,
as
well
as
Government,
through
Treasury,
for
release
of
the
much
needed
financial
resources
for
farmers.
Treasury
has
committed
to
raise
additional
funds
for
farmers.
As
the
country
spearheads
wheat-based
food
security,
farmers
are
encouraged
to
continue
delivering
wheat
to
GMB.
In
September,
Badarai
announced
that
the
producer
price
for
wheat
had
been
set
at
US$450
per
tonne
for
standard
grade
and
US$470
per
tonne
for
premium
grade,
with
payments
to
be
made
exclusively
in
United
States
dollars.
During
the
2023
winter
wheat
season,
farmers
received
US$440
per
tonne,
with
payments
split
75%
in
US
dollars
and
25%
in
Zimbabwe
dollars
at
the
prevailing
interbank
rate.
Since
GMB
will
now
pay
wheat
farmers
exclusively
in
US
dollars,
it
appears
the
ZiG$115
million
allocated
by
the
Treasury
is
intended
to
settle
payments
for
maize
and
small
grains
delivered
by
farmers
during
the
2023/24
season.
It
is
concerning
that
farmers
have
had
to
wait
so
long
for
payment,
especially
considering
that
the
2024/25
season
is
already
underway.
Many
farmers
would
have
relied
on
timely
payments
to
purchase
inputs
well
before
the
current
season
began.
Post
published
in:
Agriculture