By Desire Tshuma
Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange ( ZMX ) and Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe ( GMAZ ) on Wednesday signed Memorandum Of Understanding ( MOU ) to ease the marketing of maize for farmers starting this year.
” This MoU between ZMX and GMAZ is about aligning structured trade systems with national food value chains. At its core , the collaboration enables grain offtake through forward contracts, thereby helping to secure demands while unlocking finance for producers “
” Furthermore this system is designed to create a reliable, market based system that works for both buyers and sellers. The partnership will address a major challenge in the grain industry e.g on how to move large volumes efficiently while balancing supply needs with cashflow realities on both sides ” explained Collen Tapfumaneyi CEO ZMX.
Grain Milers Association of Zimbabwe chairman Dr Tafadzwa Musarara assured the nation that from now until the next harvest in 2026 maize meal is abundantly available and they must not do panic buying.
” As GMAZ , we are now working with the Minister of Agriculture Dr Masuka on commencing contract farming of local rice production as demand for rice continue to grow significantly. We can confirm without hesitation, that relying on imports for our operations is difficult and therefore the need to promote local primary production is not only noble but but the most viable option for our business ” Dr Tafadzwa Musarara said.
Farmers have been used to market their grains through one system, the Grain Marketing Board ( GMB ), and they were offered one price, which was announced by government and for farmers it was straight forward.
” Now this is a transition, and since it is a transition where the price is discovered on the market and the farmers also must offer their prices.The buyer also offering their prices and the price being discovered that’s a new thing and the farmers need this information so what we would ask ZMX to do a flyer that spells out the process how the farmers can access the market through ZMX and also to explain the benefits thereof but most importantly to work with Zimbabwe Farmer’s Union and other farmers organizations” explained Dr Prince Kuipa Farmers Representative . He went further and explained that this initiative also involves working with the extension workers.
” Extension workers are the interface between all the agents who transmit information to farmers. They have more better footprint than farmers organizations. So we work together and therefore it would be beneficial for ZMX to inform the farmers through farmers unions and also through the government department” added Dr Kuipa
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