During the inclusive government, bread was retailing at
less than US$1.
Bread had been in short supply before yesterday’s price
increase, with bakeries refusing to sell the product in Zimbabwe dollars due to
lack of confidence in the local currency.
Millers have attributed the bread price hike to constraints
in the supply of wheat that have been caused by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Confederation of Retailers Association Denford Mutashu said
the bread price was reflective of the prevailing inflationary environment in
the economy.
“This has been caused by the unrelenting parallel market
rate. It has caused pressure on the cost of doing business,” Mutashu said.
“The general public are no longer affording the basic
commodities.
“There is now need for the private and public sector to
raise salaries as workers cannot go into a supermarket and come out with a
basket of all the basic commodities.”
Zanu PF aligned pressure groups such as the Progressive and
Patriotic Citizens of Zimbabwe (PAPCOZ) said unrelenting price hikes would
drive Zimbabweans to take to the streets in protest.
“The citizens and consumers of Zimbabwe under PAPCOZ note
with grave concern the appalling and unjustified increase in commodity prices,”
PAPCOZ said.
“We shall also push for the seizure of licenses of those
businesses that are found on the wrong side of the law.”
Last year, government embarked on a name and shame
operation targeting companies and individuals accused of fuelling the galloping
foreign currency parallel exchange rate.
Zimbabweans have been hard hit by the rising prices of
basic commodities and services, as the local currency continues on a free-fall
with inflation also going up.
Inflation recently raced to 131.7%, from 96.4% recorded in
April. Standard
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