Harare Bureau
Most of the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) silos are full and is now redirecting wheat deliveries to the few remaining silos and paying the transport costs.

The GMB decided to pay the additional transport costs for wheat redirected to other depots which are usually far from the farmers.

There were also fears that most of the wheat, which could not be accepted because silos are full, could be spoiled by rains.

Senior officials interviewed by our Harare Bureau at GMB Glendale, who, however, elected to remain anonymous as they are not authorised to speak to the

Press, confirmed that wheat deliveries were now being redirected to Nothern Products storage facilities – just outside Chinhoyi because the silos at the depot were full.

“This year, the country witnessed a bumper maize harvest, which has taken up all the storage space in our silos, and the winter wheat crop is now being directed to other depots which still have space.

“Farmers are bringing their wheat as usual and as GMB, we assumed the responsibility of transportation costs to those depots. Overall, the facilities have a holding capacity of 40 000 tonnes and about 17 000 tonnes have so far been used. There is plenty of storage space to accommodate wheat deliveries by farmers.

“Farmers must just ensure that they harvest their crop before the onset of rains and they should not fear because there is enough storage to hold all the wheat and farmers are delivering their crop,” said a senior GMB official. GMB acting general manager Mr Lawrence Jasi said he needed time to gather full details from the country’s different depots.

It is believed that GMB silos and stake-up facilities across the province, including Chinhoyi, Mhangura, Karoi, Magunje, Chegutu, Murombedzi and Banket, among others, are full following the bumper maize harvest this year.

Government special maize production scheme and the Presidential Input Support Scheme are credited for increasing prodution around the country.