The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has reduced the number of days being taken to process farmers payments for grain deliveries as measures to fill up the national silos intensify.
The GMB is now paying farmers in 3 days after delivering grain to the national silos.
This marks an improvement from the start of the 2018 grain selling season when payments were processed in 2 weeks.
Speaking at the Presidential Inputs Scheme launch at Mupinyuri School in Guruve South, GMB General Manager Mr Rockie Mutenha urged farmers to take advantage of the quick payment processing time.
“There is no reason not to deliver to GMB. We are paying in 3 days and one week latest. This GMB is now different from the old GMB,” he said.
Farmers in Guruve will also receive cotton inputs with growers increasing from 1600 last year to 3000 this season according to Mr Innocent Gukwe, COTTCO Business Development Manager.
“Cotton production had decline in Guruve with only 100 farmers but after the Presidential Inputs Scheme the figure rose to 1600 registered growers last year. This year we are doubling the figure to 3000,” Mr Gukwe said.
Mashonaland Central Provincial Administrator Mr Cosmas Chiringa urged farmers to utilise the inputs efficiently to ensure food self-sufficiency.
Mashonaland Central has a green belt which sustains food production while cotton thrives in the dryer regions of Mbire, Muzarabani, Mt Darwin and parts of Guruve.
