THE Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has managed to clear maize payments arrears accrued last year while payment adjustments will be made to maize delivered since April this year, GMB managing director Albert Mandizha has said. The Government recently reviewed upwards the maize producer price to US$285 per tonne from US$275 pegged last year. Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Dr Joseph Made said the new maize producer price came into effect from April 1 this year. He said the new maize price was announced after extensive consultations between Government and farmer representative organisations. Regarding the US$60 million allocated by Government for the purchase of maize, Mandizha expressed confidence in Government’s commitment to provide the money saying farmers would start receiving payments after delivering their maize. “We purchase maize throughout the year and last season we recorded a payment rate of close to 98 percent as money is availed only after maize deliveries,” he said. “GMB is committed to paying farmers and once the maize is delivered, we swiftly chip in and ensure that the money available is disbursed to this effect.” Famers, said Mandizha, last season benefited from the premiums which were on offer. A prominent farmer, Edward Raradza, who is also Muzarabani South House of Assembly Member commended the Government for its sterling efforts to ensure that sanity prevails in the agricultural sector. “It should also be noted that the revised price is not viable, but a step forward under such difficult circumstances,” he said. Last farming season, the Government offered subsidised inputs to communal and small-scale farmers. The Presidential inputs scheme was also a shot in the arm for farmers, aimed at increasing agricultural production. Zimbabwe is this year expected to harvest more than 1,8 million metric tonnes of maize against a total national requirement of not less than 2 million metric tonnes.