THE Grain Millers’ Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) yesterday said its members had increased the price of mealie meal as they were buying maize from private players at a high price after the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) stopped supplying grain.
Report by Blondie Ndebele
Last month, GMB announced that it had stopped supplying maize to millers throughout the country saying it was “working on some logistics”.
Recently, GMB increased the price of mealie meal from $4,78 for a 10kg to $5,40 at its commercial outlets. GMAZ deputy chairperson Thembinkosi Ndlovu told NewsDay yesterday, circumstances beyond their control had forced members of his organisation to hike the mealie-meal price.
“We are getting limited supply of grain from private suppliers. We don’t know where they are getting the maize from, but they are telling us they move around different farms across the country.”
Ndlovu said they used to get maize from GMB at a price of $295 per tonne, but private players were now selling maize for between $320 and $420 per tonne.
“Private suppliers are selling maize at $420 per tonne. We are, therefore, also forced to increase the price of mealie-meal. ”
He said the wholesale price for mealie meal is now $6,50 for 10kg from while the retail price is about $7,20 per 10kg.
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Contacted for comment, GMB spokesperson Muriel Zemura declined to confirm the maize price hike saying food security issues were of a sensitive nature and referred further questions to Ngoni Masoka, permanent in the Agriculture ministry.
“I would like to inform you that the management of the Strategic Grain Reserve is currently the preserve of the Agriculture ministry, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development and funded by Treasury,” she said.
Contacted for comment, Masoka said he was not in a position to answer. “GMB should be having responses to your questions. They must have been seeking for permission to comment from the ministry. I will tell the general manager (Albert Mandizha) to respond,” Masoka said.