Government reviews maize producer prices

Government reviews maize producer prices

Nevanji Munyaradzi Chiondegwa

Government has reviewed, upwards, money paid to maize growers when they deliver their maize to the Grain Marketing Board.
Under the new figures, approved by Cabinet yesterday, maize farmers will receive ZWL75 000 and USD90 per metric tonne of maize delivered early to the Grain Marketing Board.
Addressing yesterday`s postcabinet briefing Acting Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere said; “The nation is informed that the 2022/23 grains marketing season commenced on 1 April 2022, with substantial stocks of 453 717 Metric Tonnes (MT) having been carried over from the previous season as a Strategic Grain Reserve.”
He said the decision was taken to improve farmer viability.
The early delivery incentive, will be extended to other crops such as traditional grains, sunflower and soyabean is payable to 31 July 2022, and applies to all deliveries made since the commencement of the marketing season, Minister Muswere said.
Turning to wheat, Minister Muswere said that the total wheat stocks in the country as at 3 June 2022 stood at 101 182 MT out of which 67 000MT were held by the GMB and the remainder by millers.
Stocks are expected to last for 4 months, at an allocation rate of 21 000 MT peer month. Millers are expected to import 9 000 MT per month to meet the country’s monthly requirement of 30 000 MT per month.
“Regarding the 2022 winter wheat production, the target is to plant 75 000 ha and produce 383 000 MT, which would be a record crop for the country,” said Minister Muswere.

On tobacco production and marketing, a total of 122.7 million kilogrammes (kg) of tobacco valued at US$366.8 million have been sold to date, compared to 141 million kg worth US$382 million sold during the same period last year.
The Auction and Contract floors average selling price has been firmer this year at US$2.99/kg compared to US$2.71/kg in 2021.
Cabinet has said that cotton is now treated as an export crop, just like tobacco, with prices being determined by fair pricing based on international lint prices.