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2012 winter wheat farming uncertain |
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Friday, 10 February 2012 18:39 |
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 The Zimbabwe Farmers Union has cast a gloomy outlook on wheat production in the forthcoming winter wheat cropping season saying several farmers are yet to be paid for deliveries made to the GMB last year.
An estimated 500 farmers are yet to be paid for wheat deliveries made to the GMB in 2011 thereby reducing prospects of winter wheat farming in the forthcoming season.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union 2nd Vice President, Mr. Bearan Mukwende said farmers who delivered their grain to the GMB are stuck as they cannot get their payments for working capital in order to repay bank loans and electricity bills that are currently accumulating interest.
Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe Chairman, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara however said millers are actually in need of wheat after having bought 6 800 tonnes of which an estimated 80% has been paid for at an average of US$430 per tonne.
Wheat production has been on the decrease for the past few years due to erratic electricity supply, while some farmers have resorted to only contract farming.
The decline in wheat production has seen increased dependence on imports from as far as Russia.
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