News / National
Govt pegs maize price at US$390 per tonne
22 Apr 2014 at 19:11hrs | Views
The government has pegged the maize producer price for the 201415 marketing season at US$390 per tonne, up from last season's price of US$385.
Speaking to ZBC, the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Dr Joseph Made said cabinet approved the new price in the spirit of success of the ZIM-ASSET programme and agreed that farmers must be paid upon delivery of their grain to Grain Marketing Board (GMB).
Dr Made said the farmers might have expected a price higher than that approved, but the cabinet took into consideration the price of mealie-meal.
He said a higher producer price would push the price of mealie-meal up and as such, the cabinet saw it fit to prioritise food and nutrition security.
The government lamented the exorbitant price of fertiliser for pushing costs of production and directed the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Patrick Chinamasa to engage fertiliser producers on a viable pricing model.
Farmers were expecting a new price of about US$420 per tonne, thus according to proposals submitted by farmer representatives for consideration by the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.
Speaking to ZBC, the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Dr Joseph Made said cabinet approved the new price in the spirit of success of the ZIM-ASSET programme and agreed that farmers must be paid upon delivery of their grain to Grain Marketing Board (GMB).
Dr Made said the farmers might have expected a price higher than that approved, but the cabinet took into consideration the price of mealie-meal.
He said a higher producer price would push the price of mealie-meal up and as such, the cabinet saw it fit to prioritise food and nutrition security.
The government lamented the exorbitant price of fertiliser for pushing costs of production and directed the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Patrick Chinamasa to engage fertiliser producers on a viable pricing model.
Farmers were expecting a new price of about US$420 per tonne, thus according to proposals submitted by farmer representatives for consideration by the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.
Source - zbc
