The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) reports that grain movement is in full swing, with 70 000 tonnes being transported for drought relief despite fuel challenges requiring foreign currency payment.
To alleviate drought during this dry season, the NRZ and the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) must coordinate the carrying, transporting, and distributing of food to food-insecure areas using routes that ensure timely delivery.
According to NRZ General Manager Respina Zinyanduko, the major challenge in moving the grain has been the scarcity of fuel sold in local currency, which forced the company to engage the government.
So far, NRZ has moved 30 000 tonnes and is in the process of moving another 40 000 tonnes.
“As NRZ, we play a pivotal role in the movement of traffic, including but not limited to grain. This drought season, we were given an order of 30,000 tonnes to move to different areas for drought relief, and that has since been dispatched,” Zinyanduko told journalists in Bulawayo.
“We have been given another 40,000 tonnes that we are currently moving. So, in terms of grain movement, we were given an order of 70,000 tonnes which we intend to move on time to the different areas.”
The GM said that, despite fuel challenges, there were no other significant issues.
“We have not faced any meaningful change so far. Of course, the major challenge was fuel, where we were required to pay in foreign currency,” Zinyanduko said.
“But we have since engaged the government, and they have managed to provide local currency fuel specifically for grain movements, and that has since been sorted.”
