Command agriculture defaulters blacklisted

GOVERNMENT has recovered more than $50 million in command agriculture, a figure that represents 70 percent of the total money loaned in the past three years, Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has said.

He said, the 30 percent beneficiaries who have defaulted repayment were now set to be blacklisted and no further assistance will be extended to them.

Prof Ncube said this in the National Assembly last week during a question and answer session. 

Harare East Member of Parliament, Mr Tendai Biti (MDC Alliance) had asked how much Government had recovered from command agriculture between 2016 and 2018.

 “Basically, the amount recovered for the season 2016 to 2018 out of 44 617 farmers is $50.2 million. For the season 2017 to 2018 for maize again, we had 35 756 farmers and the amount recovered was $19.7 million. Then for the wheat planting season of 2017, we have 2 270 farmers and what was recovered is US$13.7 million. Then for the wheat planting season for 2018, we have 74 847 farmers. For soya beans for the season 2017/2018 from 2 041 farmers, it is US$1.5 million,” said Prof Ncube. 

“It is true that certainly there is a delinquency rate of the order of 30 percent. We are blacklisting those who are defaulting for a start so that they are not getting loans and support going forward. Secondly, we are continuing to recover our money – we want our money back. That is the process that we have been following but they are also being blacklisted as well. They will not be beneficiaries going forward. We are only blacklisting those within that 30 percent from whom we have not managed to recover anything at all.”