Farmers give GMB an ultimatum to either pay up or return grain

Farmers in Gwanda district have given the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) an ultimatum to either pay up or return grain delivered last season.

The ultimatum comes at a time Matabeleland South province is experiencing a devastating drought that has left thousands of households in need of food.

As hunger stalks Matabeleland South following a poor agricultural season, farmers in Gwanda district have demanded that the GMB must either pay up for grain delivered to them or return it immediately.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Responsible for Crops, Davis Marapira, however, insists that no one will die of hunger as plans have been put in place to assist communities affected by drought.

"We have 138 000 tonnes of maize in our strategic reserves and government will be distributing food to areas hit by drought in the next few weeks to avert hunger," said Marapira.

Only Mashonaland Central province managed to produce a grain surplus this season.

The government has committed itself to importing food to supplement the reserves.