Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI- More than 1200 A2 sugarcane farmers here in Chiredzi have been reprimanded by Chiredzi Rural District Council (CRDC) over their failure to pay rates amounting to more than ZW$25 million collectively.
The local authority recently issued an ultimatum to sugarcane farmers to pay their rates amounting to more than ZW$25 million before April 2022 on they engage debt collectors.
Speaking during the Zimbabwe Sugarcane Development Association (Royal Farmers Trust) Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at Duma City recently, Takudzwa Chimanya, who was representing council said farmers were unbecoming as far as rate payments are concerned as they are currently owing CRDC more than ZW$25 million.
“Farmers are buying luxurious cars, which they later use on bad roads just because they are not paying their rates to the local authority. Only a fraction of five percent of farmers are paying their dues, but are being let down by those who are not paying. So in order to do justice to those who are paying, council will engage debt collectors to recover their dues from farmers who would have failed to settle their bills by April 2022.
“More than ZW$25 million is being owed to council by farmers. We had pegged that farmers should pay US$20 per hectare, but farmers complained and suggested to drop to US$15 but still no one paid. We then reverted back to the initial $20/ha,” added Chimanya.
Sugarcane farmers in Chiredzi have however pledged to fund Zanu PF in Chiredzi district as a token of appreciation for the land reform programme despite the ballooning debt they have with council.
