The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Reporter
IN broad daylight on a sunny Sunday afternoon last month at Stilfontein Farm in Umzila Village under Chipinge district, Wakai Sanyanga, Jongwe Kashinga and Persistence Maposa stole and drove away with 298kg of undehusked macadamia.
Last Friday, the trio was convicted after trial and sentenced to four months’ imprisonment with an option of $8 000 fine each.
This is just one of the numerous cases of macadamia produce theft and robberies rife in Chipinge district.
Praedial larceny — the theft of agricultural produce from the land — is now a major issue among macadamia farmers, which now needs the input of all relevant stakeholders for the ultimate benefit of the country’s economy.
For the avoidance of doubt as well as placing matters into perspective, macadamia production earned the country US$20 694 272 in 2019 only, at least according to ZimTrade statistics.
With this valuable contribution to the fiscus, cases of macadamia theft in Chipinge have been escalating with each passing year leaving farmers counting their losses as daring criminals that have not only camped in Chipinge district looting the precious nuts but also employing terrifying warfare tactics and weaponry in their modus operandi.
The situation has become so dire and chances are that it has since degenerated into a mortal threat.
Even though macadamia nuts have become a major lifeline for over 400 farmers in Chipinge, who account for about 8 000 hectares, with capacity to produce 30 000 tonnes annually, farms have been turned into war zones where growers have had to deal with daring and armed criminals.
Criminals pounce on the plantations in broad daylight, armed with machetes, knives and logs, forcing the growers to hit back.
Several macadamia thieves have been killed, and some injured, as a result.
The situation has been compounded by the fact that in cases where farmers failed to pay their workers on time, the farm workers hit back by stealing and selling the nuts through other registered farmers.
It is a free-for-all!
In the past, the criminals took advantage of a porous and unregulated marketing regime, in which buyers would flood the area scouting for the on-demand nuts from anyone.
The macadamia sector — which all along has been grappling with twinned evils of nuts theft and exploitative marketing regime, scored a major success story following the gazetting of Statutory Instrument 138 of 2019, Agricultural Marketing Authority (Macadamia Nuts) Regulations in June last year.
However, it appears the major breakthrough that came with the promulgation of a law that governs the industry and theft of produce and other vices has not totally eliminated the predatory practices of macadamia thieves and robbers — at least for now.
The Macadamia Producers Association of Zimbabwe (MPAZ) secretary-general Mr James Maisiri said: “While we celebrate the enactment of the Statutory Instrument 138 of 2019, Agricultural Marketing Authority (Macadamia nuts) Regulations in June last year, we are mindful of the need to have more punitive sentences in courts so that it deters those that might harbour thought of engaging in macadamia thefts or robberies.
“We really need to have severe sentences so that would-be criminals do desist from such retrogressive acts.”
There was a challenge of buyers and their conduct is now regulated by SI 138 of 2019.
“The influx of macadamia buyers in Chipinge district has also fuelled the selling of substandard produce and in the end we are labelled producers of poor quality macadamia, which is not necessarily true.
“It is all because of buyers that lay their hands on all sorts of macadamia produce including that stolen before the farmer harvests,” said Mr Maisiri.
However, macadamia buying Dexing Co. Ltd manager Gitobu Mutuma said: “Rightful farm owners have offer letters since there is about 143 farmers only in Chipinge we know them personally and the tonnage they produce. Therefore, we try by all means to buy from registered buyers” he said.
Even though police moved in to beef up security, many macadamia nuts orchards remain under threat because the nuts are on demand from buyers.
Manicaland police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Luxson Chananda said: “We are aware that there tends to be an increase on theft or robberies associated with macadamia each time we are going through the harvesting season. We have tried our best as police to be on the ground and bring culprits to book.
“We need the assistance of farmers as well as the general public in making sure that we handle all cases to their logical conclusion. We are confident that we will not lose the war against macadamia thieves.”
SI 138 of 2019, among other things, seeks to control and regulate the marketing of macadamia nuts; promote, protect and maintain the sale of macadamia nuts; institute effective systems to control theft of macadamia nuts; to collate statistics relating to the production, marketing, export and consumption or use of macadamia nuts and distribute market studies and information relating to the marketing, production and use of macadamia nuts.
All macadamia growers, processors or buyers are required to be registered.
“Every person who is, or intends to become a commercial grower, buyer or processor of macadamia nuts shall register, either individually, or through associations of stakeholders who shall be representing the interests of growers, processors or buyers.
“No person shall deal in macadamia nuts for commercial purposes unless he or she is — (a) licensed as a buyer of macadamia nuts; or (b) registered as a grower; or (c) the holder of a permit issued in terms of section 10.
“No licensed buyer whose licence has been suspended and no person registered as an authorised buyer on behalf of such a licensed buyer shall buy macadamia nuts whilst the license is suspended.
“A licensed buyer may only — (a) possess macadamia nuts received by him or her as a result of his or her lawful trading; or (b) deal in macadamia nuts in his or her possession only to the extent to which he or she is licensed in terms of these regulations or any other enactment relating to dealing in macadamia nuts; or (c) export macadamia nuts referred to in paragraph (a) subject to these regulations or any other enactment relating to the export of macadamia nuts,” reads part of the law.
“A holder of any permit or license from the authority may only — (a) possess macadamia nuts in accordance with the terms of his or her permit or license; or (b) deal in macadamia nuts with any other lawfully authorised person to the extent to which he or she and such other person are permitted in terms of these regulations, the terms of his or her permit or license or any other enactment relating to dealing in macadamia nuts”.
The Agriculture Marketing Authority (AMA) and producer associations are compelled to keep an annual register of all growers, processors or buyers and those registered are not allowed to transfer their registration numbers to any other person.
“Any person who unlawfully transfers to any other person his or her registration number shall have such registration number invalidated by the authority.
“A person who uses or transacts under an invalidated registration number shall be guilty of an offence and be liable to a fine not exceeding level four or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to both such fine and such imprisonment,” reads part of the law.
It is hoped that this would go a long way in curbing macadamia thefts in Chipinge district.
