BMC partners BancABC to speed-up farmers� payments
Koketso Kgoboge | Tuesday August 22, 2017 16:35
The partnership was introduced to farmers during BMC’s interaction with suppliers of cattle to the Francistown abattoir through road shows that started earlier in the month.
Addressing farmers here last week, BMC executive manager livestock procurement, Kenneth Makubate said delays in payments hav BMC partners BancABC to speed-up farmers’ payments e contributed to the declining supply of cattle to the Francistown abattoir. He said the Francistown abattoir demands 200 cattle a day and 4,000 a month, and currently they fail to meet the demand. He said at most they get 160 cattle and at worst the numbers can hit as low as 20 per day.
He said as a result they have approached BancABC and have reached an agreement that will ensure that farmers are paid within 14 days after the sale of the cattle, as is the agreed payment period between the BMC and farmers. “The supply has not only been low, but has also been inconsistent and we reckon that is as a result of late payments from our part,” he said.
“That inconsistency and declining numbers of supply has prompted us to seek a solution and through our new partnership with BancABC, the 14 days (payment period) will become a reality.”
Makubate said they have already started to unroll the banking accounts and banking cards to the farmers in a drive to clear the backlog of debts.
“We have started already to avail cards to farmers who sold to us in May, June, July and August and we are confident we will clear the backlog very soon. These bank cards are very affordable and easy to use than our previous methods of payments.”
BancABC representative, Thapelo Kepaletswe also reiterated that the accounts reserved for the farmers do not carry maintenance charges. He said the cards only require minimal charges for money transfers and withdrawals. Tapologo Setiko, a farmer, said they welcome the initiative, as it would restore a dwindling working relationship with BMC and restore hope of improved sales. He requested that temporary feedlots in far-flung areas be resuscitated to ease transportation of cattle.
“Transporting cattle to the abattoir is a challenge for us who are from far away areas and temporary feedlots can help as our cattle await collection, that is one other area that can improve consistency of numbers we bring to the abattoir.”
Another farmer, Richard Kenosi, who also welcomed the initiative, said the development would encourage the farmers who had turned to selling to butcheries for quick payments.
Kenosi also requested that BMC should further take advantage of the relationship and ask the pan-African bank to seek new markets for beef farmers outside the country where they have business operations.