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Elita Chikwati Senior Agriculture Reporter
Government has commended Grain Marketing Board (GMB)’s performance in the 2017 marketing season, as it managed to pay farmers on time and store huge amounts of grain.

This was said by Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister Air Chief Marshal Perrance Shiri (Retired) at the launch of the GMB culture change and reorientation programme at the company’s Norton Depot in Mashonaland West.

In a speech read on his behalf by permanent secretary in his ministry Mr Ringson Chitsiko, Minister Shiri said GMB had worked hard during the past marketing season in ensuring the 1,2 million tonnes of maize delivered to its depots were safely stored.

“Government is impressed by the GMB. It is now settled with a surplus of notable magnitude and is capable to handle the 1,2 million tonnes delivered by farmers valued at $487 million during the 2017 marketing season.

“Surprisingly, the delays in paying farmers never went beyond three working weeks. Currently, we sit at more than 870 000 tonnes of maize and in a few weeks, we will start receiving more maize and I guess we will be paying early as is done with tobacco,” he said.

Minister Shiri applauded the parastatal for launching the culture and reorientation programme as this was in line with Government’s new approach, which is premised on superior customer care and service.

“One of the milestones of this approach is the adoption of the 100-days plan to closely monitor progress towards achievement of specific targets within a short period.”