Zimbabwe Small Grain Farmers Hail GMB Early Payment

Mazowe— Commercial and emerging farmers under the Strategic Grain Reserve program say they are receiving faster payments from the Grain Marketing Board, a shift they credit for boosting production and clearing input loans ahead of the summer season.

Speaking during a field tour at Kula Estates in Mashonaland Central on July 28, 2026, *Mr. Phebeon Mutibura*, who manages 650 hectares, said deliveries of maize, wheat and sorghum to GMB this year were paid “surprisingly” and “pleasantly” in both ZIG and US dollars.  

“Everything that we've delivered so far, we were surprisingly, pleasantly surprised by the payment they've come through,” Mutibura said. “So we are quite rich here.”

Mutibura, operating under a joint venture model, said Kula Estates currently runs 250 hectares under irrigation for wheat and maize, with the balance under sorghum. All grain is delivered to GMB. 

He noted GMB is now offering $365 per ton for wheat compared to $290 offered by private millers, with payment turnaround dropping from 14 days to about 5 days.  

“That’s about almost 30-40% more than the private miller,” he said. “All roads should lead to GMB, as we speak right now, nationally.”

The operation falls under the SGR 200-hectare-plus association, a voluntary group of farmers supplying strategic grains. Mutibura said mentorship from established “lead farmers” and support from the program helped him start with no prior experience and has since enabled him to onboard two new farmers.  

“I came here without knowing what farming is all about,” he said. “This is what they have produced for the nation.”

Key to expansion has been financing through the Agriculture and Rural Development Authority and the Agricultural Finance Corporation. Mutibura said ADA provided seed, chemicals, agronomists, drones and combine harvesters, while AFC extended unsecured “negative security” loans despite no collateral.  

“There is no bank which would have supported me as a greenfield farmer without track record, without security,” he said. “We are expanding to over 1,000 on the strength that AFC will give us more facilities which are unsecured.”

He urged farmers to repay ADA loans on time, warning that defaults were leading to blacklisting. “This is a revolving fund that has been facilitated by government to us through ADA.

For us to be continuously growing, we need to repay our loans,” Mutibura said. He added that being “clean” with ADA meant inputs for the next season were already being processed for September delivery.

On production, Mutibura said 250 hectares of wheat planted between May 10 and May 30 is healthy, supported by student scouts from agricultural colleges who monitor pests and irrigation daily, and by water from ZINWA. 

He said maize will be grown strictly under pivot, while dryland areas will go to drought-resilient sorghum in anticipation of El Niño conditions. Government’s announced wheat price of $525 per ton, he said, would leave farmers “deep in the money” if input costs remain stable.

The farmer called for strict enforcement of Statutory Instrument 87 to block grain imports during the local harvest. He argued that corporates pre-funding farmers in neighboring countries depress local prices at harvest time.  

“When we import, we are exporting jobs and we are funding the farmer in South Africa at the expense of the local farmer,” Mutibura said. “If they give me that money here to produce, I simply need six months to give them the grain. SI-87 for us is a game changer. It must be implemented ruthlessly and immediately.”