Farmers raise red flag over GMB 'loaders' fee

Some disgruntled farmers have claimed that they were being forced to employ temporary workers to offload maize at Grain marketing Board (GMB) depots.

The casuals, as the temporary workers are called, are demanding US$10 to offload maize.

"We are not sure why we are being forced to pay US$10 per truck for loaders as GmB has its workers mandated to offload the maize delivered,'' farmer Godfrey Bakasa from Karoi, said.

He is among several farmers who have raised the red flag over the use of casual workers to offload trucks at the Karoi depot.

Another farmer, who only identified himself as Dickson, said he was surprised because other depots like Magunje never demanded a loader's fee.

"I was surprised, I delivered 20 tonnes of maize at Magunje GMB depot, but no one asked for a loader's fee as what is happening at Karoi depot,'' Dickson said.

Farmers from several GMB depots in Mashonaland provinces also claimed that they were forced to pay offloading fees.

GmB spokesperson Nixon Kanyemba said it was unprofessional to have "loaders hired" on behalf of the GmB.

"GmB has enough workers to offload maize at every depot. We do not allow casuals who are not employed by GmB to conduct such duties,'' Kanyemba said in a telephone interview.

Zimbabwe had a bumper maize harvest last season due to good rains that fell in most parts of the country.

Maize deliveries to GMB rose to 116 929 metric tonnes within the first two months of the 2021 marketing season from 33 515 metric tonnes recorded in the same period last year.