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Grain millers urge govt to ban flour, maize meal imports

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The Grain Millers’ Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has called on the Finance ministry to ban the importation of wheat flour, maize grits and maize meal in the 2017 National Budget statement expected early next month.

The Grain Millers’ Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has called on the Finance ministry to ban the importation of wheat flour, maize grits and maize meal in the 2017 National Budget statement expected early next month.

BY PAIDAMOYO MUZULU

GMAZ believes the move to add the products to the banned list of imports under Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 would revive the ailing milling industry.

It made the call in its written submission to Treasury ahead of the tabling of the National Budget.

“In order to regain on this loss and revive grain (mainly maize and wheat) farming and processing in Zimbabwe as decreed by ZimAsset, we propose that the importation of wheat flour, maize grits and maize meal be listed under Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016. This is meant to enhance and complement the existing import controls and limit the importation of maize meal and wheat flour,” the association said.

GMAZ said it had witnessed a drastic 1 000% reduction in the number of milling companies in the last decade due to the cheap imports flooding the local market.

“The milling industry shrunk in size and numbers, from 368 milling companies in 2007 to 37 in 2016 due to cheap imports of maize meal and wheat flour, mainly from Mozambique and South Africa, which crowded out local millers,” it said.

In its submissions, GMAZ suggested that self-raising flour should only be produced locally and this would immediately create demand for 120 000 metric tonnes of wheat that would require about 25 000 hectares during winter farming season.

“We propose that importation of pre-packed flour in packages under 10kg be banned completely in order to promote wheat farming in Zimbabwe and fortify the land reform,” GMAZ argued.

The association also said agriculture remains the least recipient of foreign direct investment and in order to increase interest in the sector, it proposed that registered contract and corporate farming ventures be afforded the rights and privileges provided for under the Export Processing Zones.