Harare (New Ziana) – The Grain Marketing Board has come up with a new input distribution programme which rewards farmers who deliver their produce to the GMB early.

Under the new arrangement, farmers will get inputs under the Presidential Input Support Scheme on a first come first served basis in accordance to the delivery list recorded at the GMB collection points.

GMB chief executive officer Rockie Mutenha said procurement of inputs under the Presidential scheme was already underway.

In the last farming season, over 1.6 million households benefited from the Presidential Input Support scheme.

“Government is in the process of procuring inputs under the presidential scheme for distribution before the onset of the rains,” he said.

“Farmers who deliver their produce early will get first preference in the distribution of the presidential inputs. Distribution of the inputs will be according to the delivery list to depots or collection points.”

Mutenha added: “Farmers are therefore encouraged to deliver their grain early and take advantage of this new arrangement.”

Last month, the government announced an upward review of grain and soya bean producer prices for the 2020/21 marketing season to encourage farmers to deliver their produce to the GMB.

The producer price of maize rose from $6 958 to $12 329 per tonne, traditional grains from $7 260 to $12 865 and soya beans from $6 958 to $17 211.

Traditional grains include sorghum, millet, and rapoko.
New Ziana