The Deputy Minister for Mines and Mining Development Polite Kambamura revealed that the country is losing the bulk of its gold through smuggling.
Private gold dealers reportedly pay higher prices for gold than what Fidelity Printers offers.
Fidelity Printers is the gold buying arm of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ). Said Kambamura:
What is a being channelled to Fidelity is only a third. I believe we are already producing 100 tonnes of gold as a country, but I am convinced that we are losing out to smuggling and under-declaration (of gold).
Kambamura added that whereas average gold production is 2.5 tonnes a month, from November, the government only received 20 kilograms:
Our average production is 2.5 tonnes a month, but from November, we were operating at 47% and the bad news is that we have only received 20kgs.