Farmers forced to sell maize on black market as GMB turns away grain with high moisture content

The Herald reports that farmers are losing thousands of dollars to dealers on the black market after selling their grain which would have been rejected by the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) for exceeding the 12,5 percent moisture content threshold.

Farmers are being paid as little as $150/tonne for the maize which is then sold by the dealers to GMB at a profit. Also, some businesspeople with ready cash are buying grain from farmers not contracted under the Command Agriculture Programme before selling it to GMB. Zimbabwe Farmers Union president Retired Major Abdul Credit Nyathi, urged farmers to dry their grain properly before hurriedly taking their grain to GMB. While urging farmers to be patient, Federation of Young Farmers Club of Zimbabwe board member Mr Tapiwanashe Chikondowa said investigations should be made as he suspects that some GMB officials are conniving with people on the black market.

More: Herald

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