GOVERNMENT is set to increase the price of subsidised
roller meal following last week’s review of the maize producer price from $4
000 to $6 958 per tonne.
The imminent increase in the price of mealie-meal comes at
a time when there is a serious shortage of the product, amid promises that more
grain is headed for Bulawayo.
This will be the second increase in the price of the
subsidised mealie-meal after Government reviewed the price of a 10kg bag to $70
from $50 last month. The subsidised roller meal shortages have seen
unscrupulous individuals hoarding stocks that they are selling on the black
market at exorbitant prices.
Super refined mealie-meal that was selling for $150 last
week has since increased to $180. Yesterday, most Bulawayo’s major retail shops
did not have subsidised mealie-meal.
A Chronicle news crew observed that subsidised mealie-meal
was being sold on the black market for up to $100 in cash and any other payment
methods were not being accepted.
In an interview, Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Raj
Modi said the mealie-meal shortage was just temporary as Government would soon
announce a new price.
“The problem with the millers is that they are working on
the new price. They have the mealie-meal; they should be announcing the new
prices to retailers. I think that is what has caused the shortage, the
mealie-meal is there but what is left is for is the new price. Up to last week,
it was going on very well. There was a lot of mealie-meal around up until the
last two days because of the new GMB prices,” he said.
Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe media and public
relations manager Mr Garikai Chaunza said millers will meet on Thursday over
the new prices.
“After the Thursday’s meeting, we will issue a statement,”
said Mr Chaunza.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Ministry yesterday said more grain is headed to Zimbabwe as the country seeks
to address the drought situation.
In a statement posted on its Twitter account, the Ministry
said so far 153 trucks have been dispatched with grain from Beira to Harare,
leaving a balance of 179 trucks.
“Reports from Ambassador (Douglas) Nyikayaramba in Maputo
indicate that more drought relief grain is bound for Zimbabwe from STEMA in
Maputo with 259 wagons dispatched to Bulawayo to date. A balance of 143 wagons
is outstanding to clear this whole consignment,” said the report.
Although GMB officials were not immediately available for
comment, sources at GMB depot in Bulawayo yesterday said their silos in
Tshabalala now had more than 10 000 tonnes of maize to last nearly two months.
“The stocks increased since last month. We are receiving
maize from South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique. I can safely say we have more
than 10 000 tonnes of maize in our silos which can last nearly two months. We
have the grain but I guess the supply issue would be addressed by GMAZ. If
there is a story to be told I guess it would come from the millers,” said the
source.
The news crew also visited the Silo Industries depot in
Belmont but officials there declined to comment on the mealie-meal issue,
saying they were not cleared to speak to the Press. However, staff members who
spoke on condition of anonymity said the Silo shop stopped selling subsidised
mealie-meal last month but they were now supplying retail shops in the city.
In different interviews, residents said it was difficult to
get subsidised roller meal.
“As it stands, some of us hardly get the subsidised
mealie-meal. If you are working or committed everyday will you get the time to spend
in a queue? But we also want to buy the subsidised mealie-meal because the
super refined one is too expensive. I think police should just arrest anyone
found selling mealie-meal on the streets. Before Government introduced the
mealie-meal subsidy we did not have anyone selling it,” Mr Simon Mwinde from
New Lobengula.
Another resident Mr Innocent Mabhena from Emganwini suburb
concurred, saying there are too many greedy individuals out to make a killing
at the expense of desperate citizens.
“Right now, if you go to the market place there is roller
meal everywhere. How is it getting there? We are forced to buy it because we
have families to feed.
“But as solution Government should just flood the market
with the roller meal so that it does not become profitable for anyone to sell
it in the streets,” said Mr Mabhena. Chronicle
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