70 000t small grains delivered to GMB

Dr Made

George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
More than 70 000 tonnes of small grains have been delivered by farmers to Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots countrywide in the wake of a bumper harvest realised in the 2016-17 agricultural season. Sorghum makes up the bulk of the crop delivered so far, with most of the small grains having been delivered by farmers from Masvingo.

Former Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made said recently the impressive harvest of small grains represented the success of Government’s thrust to encourage farmers in low rainfall receiving areas to shift towards drought-tolerant small grains.

‘‘GMB depots around the country have so far received more than 70 000 tonnes of small grains from our farmers and we expect the deliveries to continue as farmers mop up their crop from last year,’’ he said.

‘‘We are happy that most of the farmers were delivering the crop to GMB for the first time, which shows how successful the 2016-17 farming season was. We want our farmers to continue to produce and Government will always be there to offer assistance, particularly with inputs such as seed and fertilisers.’’

Dr Made said Government would continue to push GMB to make timely payments to farmers who would have delivered their crop to help them prepare for the 2017/2018 farming season.

In Masvingo, farmers realised bumper harvests of small grains, particularly sorghum, with Chiredzi and Mwenezi amongst districts with highest yield. The Herald gathered that the GMB depot at Nandi in Chiredzi had taken delivery of nearly 8 000 tonnes of small grains at the beginning of this month.

The GMB depot at Rutenga in Mwenezi had, during the same period, took delivery of more than 3 000 tonnes of small grains, with farmers expected to deliver more after most of them started harvesting late. Government has been urging arid provinces such as Masvingo to shift towards small grains production in the wake of recurrent droughts blamed on the effects of climate change.

Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister (Cropping) Mr Davis Marapira recently revealed that Masvingo was this year poised to move small grains to other provinces following a bumper harvest in the last farming season.