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Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau

THE GRAIN Marketing Board (GMB) will soon take in the delivery of 13 brand new grain dryers procured by Government aimed at reducing post-harvest yield loss, Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Resettlement Minister, Vangelis Haritatos has said.

The new dryers will complement the seven already existing dryers at some of the GMB depots in the country.

Deputy Minister Haritatos said the dryers will help cut production costs on the part of the farmers who are currently partying ways with $2 500 to dry a tonne of maize using privately-owned dryers.

“The price farmers are charged at private dryers is much higher than that at GMB depots. Currently, we have small dryers at GMB whose capacity is 300 tonnes a day and we envisage that the new ones will address the need from farmers,” he said.

He said the dryers will be ready for use during the 2021-2022 season.

Harvesting of summer crops is usually delayed due to high moisture content thereby affecting winter wheat ploughing and planting.

A farmer from Mhangura constituency, Mr Tinashe Ziki who has successfully mechanised his Highbury Farm urged farmers to invest in machinery and dryers to transform their farming business.

The farmer has set up a dryer at his farm.