‘Make 99-year leases bankable’
The Herald 13/12/2018
Wimbainashe Zhakata Mutare Correspondent
FARMERS in Manicaland Province are eagerly waiting for Government to regularise the 99-year leases for them to start accessing loans from banks.
Manicaland provincial agronomist Mr Thomas Sakuhuni said most farmers in Manicaland were failing to get funding for production because they had no collateral.
He said regularising the 99-year leases would reduce the burden on Government and make famers more responsible.
“This move will lessen the burden on the Government because farmers will be able to look for money on their own because they can put up their farms as collateral.
“The bank will send evaluators to the farms and attach a value to the farm and this will be used to determine the size of the loan that a farmer can access,” he said.
Turning to the current farming season, Mr Sakuhuni said the increases in input prices were a cause for concern to most farmers as it had reduced the area planted this season.