The Indigenous Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (IGMAZ) has defended Government’s grain import levy framework introduced under Statutory Instrument 87 of 2025, arguing that the policy is necessary to protect local farmers, safeguard the gains of the Land Reform Programme, strengthen food security and advance Zimbabwe’s industrialisation agenda.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, IGMAZ criticised ongoing opposition to the levies by the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ), which recently threatened court action seeking to nullify the regulations on grounds that they are unconstitutional and would increase the cost of basic commodities.
IGMAZ said continued reliance on imports threatened the country’s economic sovereignty and undermined the objectives of the Land Reform Programme.
“We wish to state categorically that if Zimbabwe fails to protect indigenous farmers and local producers, then the country risks reversing the gains of the Land Reform Programme and surrendering national economic sovereignty to foreign producers and import cartels,” the association said.
“The Land Reform Programme was not merely about land ownership. It was about empowering indigenous Zimbabweans to produce, industrialise and control national value chains.”
The association warned against what it described as the danger of Zimbabwe becoming “a supermarket economy” dependent on imported goods while local agriculture and industry is weakened.
IGMAZ said Government’s policy direction under Statutory Instrument 87 of 2025 was aligned with broader national objectives under NDS1, NDS2 and Vision 2030 to stimulate domestic production and reduce import dependency.
“We therefore fully support Government’s policy direction under Statutory Instrument 87 of 2025, which seeks to promote local grain production, strengthen food security, finance irrigation infrastructure and reduce dependence on imports,” the statement said.
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The association also argued that levy proceeds were already being channelled towards irrigation development and agricultural infrastructure aimed at improving climate resilience and boosting local output.
The latest intervention comes as legal experts maintain that the Minister responsible for agriculture is empowered under the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) Act to impose such levies.
One senior legal expert familiar with the legislation said the Act explicitly authorises Government to collect levies in pursuit of agricultural development and food security objectives.
“The AMA Act is very clear on the mandate and purpose of the statute and in the preamble it says inter alia: ‘to provide for the imposition and collection of levies on producers, buyers and processors of agricultural products; to provide for the administration and disbursement of moneys from the Fund,’” the expert said.
“It therefore goes without saying that the Minister is empowered to impose the levies as he has rightfully done in this case.”
The expert added that the levies formed part of a broader policy framework designed to stabilise domestic agriculture, protect local producers and finance infrastructure critical to national food security.
GMAZ argued that the levies would trigger increases in the prices of bread, mealie meal and other basic commodities. However, supporters of the framework argue that the measures are necessary to reduce Zimbabwe’s growing dependence on imports and support long-term domestic production capacity.
IGMAZ urged Government to remain firm in defending local production and protecting indigenous farmers.
“The future of Zimbabwe lies in production, value addition and self-sufficiency, not permanent dependence on imports,” the association said.
