eBusiness Weekly
The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) is advising farmers across the country that are delivering grain to adhere to the prescribed quality standards to avoid rejection of their crop.
The GMB started receiving grain for the 2018 /19 marketing season began on April 1 this year.
GMB general manager Rockie Mutenha on Thursday said all grain to be delivered to the GMB should meet the required standard of quality to ensure long term storability.
“GMB only accepts maize that meets the required standards in terms of quality and moisture content. This is critical to ensure long term storability and minimal post-harvest losses. The accepted moisture content for maize and small grains is 12,5 percent and below and for soya beans and sugar beans is 11 percent and below,” he said.
He said farmers should grade and clean thoroughly their grain before delivering to GMB in order to avoid rejection of their crops.
“Farmers are encouraged to carry-out pre-grading and cleaning of crop to remove extraneous matter and trash as well as high percentage of broken and chipped grain which will lead to lower grade or rejection of the crop.
Mr Mutenha said Government remains committed towards ensuring that all delivered grain will be paid on time.
He also said; “All farmers who are on command agriculture must ensure that stop orders are signed and submitted to GMB to facilitate deductions and payments to Command Agriculture and to the farmer.”
Farmers have delivered more than 214 000 tonnes of maize to the Grain Marketing Board since the beginning of the season in April.
This year’s deliveries are expected to reach one million tonnes from 1,5 million last year as production was affected by a mid-season drought.
Last year’s overall output reached 2,2 million tonnes after the Government supported farmers with inputs through state programmes such as the Presidential Inputs Scheme and Command Agriculture. — New Ziana.
