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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
April allocations of drought relief grain are being moved into the depots by the Grain Marketing Board, which is working with the Department of Social Services to ensure that communities receive their food in time.

GMB chief executive Mr Rockie Mutenha said most depots in the southern region have stocks, while others are receiving allocations from the main depot in Bulawayo.

He stressed that there was no shortage of maize in the country with imported maize coming into the country through their Bulawayo and Aspindale Depots.

Major GMB depots were operating 24 hours a day.

“Matabeleland South has monthly requirements of 3 419 tonnes and 80 percent of that has been uplifted and delivered to depots,” said the official.

“Only 20 percent of the grain is pending collection from Bulawayo Depot which is receiving most of the imported maize.

“You will note that as GMB we are working with Social Welfare officials to ensure that all the required maize is uplifted to the different depots.”

He said some of the depots are already at advanced stages to uplift requirements for April.

“In essence, all depots have received their March allocations,” he said.

He said the parastatal’s major feeding depots were Bulawayo and Aspindale where contingent measures have been put in place to ensure that there are continuous deliveries to the Department of Social Services throughout the lockdown.