The Sunday Mail
Kudakwashe Ruzive
MAIZE deliveries to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) breached the 300 000 tonnes mark last week, up nearly four times the amount that had been delivered by the same time last year.
Statistics from the grain utility show that farmers had delivered more than 319 000 tonnes of the cereal by Wednesday last week.
GMB chief executive Mr Rockie Mutenha told The Sunday Mail: “The GMB as of June 30, 2021 had received 319 617 tonnes of maize, 31 797 tonnes of traditional grains and 10 373 tonnes of soyabean, giving us a total of 362 403 tonnes of grains.
“Compared to the same period last year, the GMB had received 75 710 tonnes of maize, 2 378 tonnes of traditional grains and 1 059 tonnes of soyabean giving us a total of 79 229 tonnes of grains.”
The grain marketing season opened on April 1 at nearly 1 400 buying points that have been set up countrywide.
All 84 GMB depots are operating daily, including on weekends, to facilitate uninterrupted grain deliveries.
The grain utility is paying $32 000 for a tonne of maize, $48 000 for a tonne of soyabean and $38 000 for traditional grains.
Meanwhile, the GMB last week temporarily closed its Mamina depot in Mhondoro, Mashonaland West after several staff tested positive for Covid-19.
In a statement, Mr Mutenha said the depot will re-open tomorrow.
“The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) advises farmers that Mamina depot in Mhondoro, Mashonaland West Province has been temporarily closed from today, Friday July 2, 2021 to Monday 5 July 2021,” he said.
“Some members of our staff tested positive to Covid-19 during routine tests that are being carried out by the board throughout all depots in compliance with the national Covid-19 guidelines.
“The temporary closure has been directed to facilitate for fumigation of the depot as well as carry out contact tracing as provided for in the national guidelines.”
