Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: It’s right time to engage Zim: EU | The Herald April 2, 2019

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi meets European Union Managing Director for Africa Mr Koen Vervaeke (centre) and EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Timo Olkkonen (left) in Harare on Saturday. — Picture by Tawanda Mudimu

Kuda Bwititi Chief Reporter
Zimbabwe stepped up its re-engagement efforts with the European Union on Saturday after the EU’s managing director for Africa Mr Koen Vervauke met senior Government officials to deliberate on several issues to boost relations.

Mr Vervauke, who is one of the top EU diplomats in Africa, held talks with Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi as well as Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador James Manzou in Harare.

Speaking after meeting Ambassador Manzou, Mr Vervauke said the discussions touched on reforms being undertaken by the Government.

“We had a good discussion on the state of our relations. There is certainly an expectation on the European side that reforms will be continued on the economic and political side and create the space through which our relations can deepen and the European Union can work together with Zimbabwe for the future.”

Mr Vervauke said it was “the right time” to engage Zimbabwe as the EU had provided support to victims of Cyclone Idai.

“EU and Zimbabwe have a continuous dialogue, it was the right time for us to come here, firstly to express solidarity towards Cyclone Idai, the floods and the landslides in Zimbabwe.

“The European Union has mobilised initial support, we also have a team from our humanitarian team on the ground to see what more we can do,” he said.

Briefing journalists after meeting Minister Ziyambi, the EU diplomat commended Zimbabwe’s reforms on the Constitutional alignments, saying the legal milestones were significant in the bloc’s engagement with Harare.

“We had an extensive discussion on the legal agenda which is being followed here and that relates to reforms, political reforms and also the alignment of important legislation that will be on the agenda of the Parliamentary session starting in May. We from the European Union certainly are convinced that these are really important projects that need to be brought to a positive outcome,” he said.

“We listened that there is willingness to reform politically and economically. What is important for the European Union and even more so for the people of Zimbabwe is that these are translated to concrete acts and concrete reforms.”

Minister Ziyambi said the meeting noted that some sections of the media were not giving attention to the reforms being undertaken by the Government.

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The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority has announced new fuel prices which will take effect on 08 April. ZERA said in a statement, "The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority advises that in terms of Statutory instrument 10 of 2019, the applicable FOB prices for the starting on 01 April 2019 and 08 April 2019 are summarized in […]

Source: Call to review maize producer price | The Herald April 2, 2019

Mrs Nkomo

Elita Chikwati Senior Reporter
Farmers have appealed to Government to adjust the maize producer price this marketing season to enable them to break even and to allow them to go back to the land.

The grain marketing season started yesterday.

Most farmers have, however, indicated that their crop is not yet ready for harvesting as they planted late due to late onset of the rainy season.

Some few urban farmers have, however, started harvesting notwithstanding the high moisture content to safeguard their harvest against theft.

Goromonzi farmer Mr Boniface Chitate said he expected to start harvesting his crop in May.

“We hope Government will adjust the producer price so that we can be able to break even and return to the fields.

“The prices of basic commodities and inputs have gone up and the producer price of $390 per tonne is no longer viable. Two tonnes can now buy only two bags of fertiliser,” he said.

Mr Chitate said fuel prices had also gone up and this would translate into high production costs.

Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers’ Association Trust president Mrs Depinah Nkomo said farmers were expecting an increase in the producer price.

“The producer price of $390 per tonne used to be viable and farmers would make meaningful profits. Now that input prices have gone up we hope authorities will also increase the producer price.

“A 50kg bag of fertiliser now costs around $70 while a 25kg bag of maize seed costs between $170 and $200 per 25kg bag. The prices of herbicides have also gone up and we expect Government to address this as we go into the marketing season,” she said.

The Grain Marketing Board urged farmers to deliver their grain to its depots as it has enough storage capacity while farmers are assured of getting their payments early.

GMB general manager Mr Rockie Mutenha said farmers risked making losses if they sold their grain to middlemen.

“We have more than adequate storage, scales, and stacker machines among other things.

“Farmers should grade their grain crops and not mix bad and good maize as the entire crop will be downgraded,” he said.

Mr Mutenha urged farmers to have their maize tested for moisture content levels before delivering it to the GMB depots.

“As usual, the GMB pays early. We urge farmers to re-activate their bank accounts and ensure they give us the correct bank or cellphone details,” he said.

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In a rare concession of defeat at the hands of the revolutionary Zanu-PF, MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa yesterday blamed the disconnect between his party's leadership and its grassroots support for their loss in a by-election of Ward 28 in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, long believed to be the bedrock of opposition support. Zanu-PF candidate Kidwell […]

Source: Tobacco: Mthuli’s go-between pays off | The Herald  April 2, 2019

Prof Ncube

Elita Chikwati Senior Reporter
The intervention by Finance and Economic Development Minister  Professor Mthuli Ncube has paid off, with activity at the tobacco auction floors picking up yesterday as more farmers have started delivering their crop following the removal of the 2 percent tax from all transactions involving the crop.

At the close of last week, Prof Ncube promised to play a go-between in farmers’ and Government face-off following a slow start to the tobacco marketing season, with farmers withholding  their crop due to low process and regulatory issues.

But it all changed following the fiscal authorities’ intervention.

During his tour, Prof  Ncube confirmed the scrapping of the 2 percent tax and said he wanted maximum benefit to go to farmers, the country’s biggest foreign currency earners.

And Government Statutory Instrument 80 of 2019, which amended the Finance (Rate and Incidence of Intermediated Money Transfer Tax) Regulations, 2019 was announced last Friday, scrapping Intermediated Money Transfer tax, better known as 2 percent tax, from all transaction for the purchase of auction tobacco under statutory instrument 80 of 2019.

“It is hereby notified that the Minister of Finance, has in terms of Section 3 of the Finance Act made the following regulations; the thirtieth schedule (Intermediated Money Transfer Tax) in the Income Tax (Chapter 23.06) is amended in paragraph 1,” the Gazette said.

“The transfer of funds for the purchase of auction or contract tobacco from buyers or contractors to auction floors and the transfer of funds by contractors and auction floors to growers of tobacco for deliveries of tobacco.”

Tobacco stakeholders have been calling for exemption from the two percent tax since the opening of the auction floors on two weeks ago as it was eroding farmer’s earnings.

Some farmers told The Herald yesterday that they could not sell their crop during the first week as they wanted to understand the payment modalities first.

Rusape farmer, Mr Tongai Muchemenyi said he brought his crop yesterday because of the removal of the two percent tax.

“It seems all systems are in place now. The prices are still low but we expect them to start improving,” he said.

Other farmers said they were now selling their crop as they needed cash for Easter and Independence holidays. Informal traders also said business had been low during the first days and they were now bringing their wares to the floors.

Meanwhile, tobacco sales have continued to increase although they are still below the volumes sold during the same period last year.

Farmers have so far sold 538 147 kilogrammes of tobacco worth US$896 166 compared to 6,8 million kilogrammes worth US$19 million.

The highest price at the auction floors has remained at $4,50 per kilogramme. This is a decline from the $4,99 per kilogramme that has been offered by buyers at t auction floors for the past years. Contractors have continued to pay higher prices with the highest pegged at $5,78 per kilogramme.

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