Govt to seize 'undeclared' maize

Zimbabwe's commercial farmers on Thursday said a government decision to seize "undeclared" maize from white-owned farms would deter farmers from producing the crop in the future.

The state-controlled Grain Marketing Board (GMB) on Wednesday announced that it would begin impounding undeclared stocks from farms that had failed to meet the 10 December deadline to deliver the maize to the depots.

The GMB issued a directive on 27 November to commercial famers with maize and wheat to declare it within two weeks, or face prosecution.

But some farmers have been reluctant to sell their crops to the GMB because of the low price. The state-controlled body is the country's only wheat and maize trader.

Recently, the government increased the producer price of wheat from US $40,000 to US $70,000 per tonne, but farmers say the price is still too low.

"The seizures are likely to have a negative effect on production next year. Nobody is interested in growing a crop that is price controlled. If farmers receive a fair price for their produce, they would more willing to sell to the GMB," Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) president, Colin Cloete, told IRIN.

The government has accused farmers of hoarding their produce in the face of widespread food shortages.

It is estimated that 800,000 mt of food aid is need to feed over six million people facing hunger.

Cloete said there had been reports that GMB officials had already begun seizing wheat and maize from white-commercial farms since last week.

"We have received reports that in the Tengwe area in the Mashonaland West province, about 30,000 mt of maize had been taken from three farms," he said.

The GMB has also threatened to impound stocks farmers were saving to feed workers and livestock.

"Should the GMB move to seize food stocks reserved for farm workers then like everybody else, workers will have to stand in the food queues," Cloete said.