The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) on Tuesday said that millers shall not release mealie-meal into the market until the government has increased the price of the commodity.
GMAZ also announced that the Zimbabwean government owes millers $120 Million ZWL with the debt going back to December of last year. In a statement, GMAZ said:
The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) is happy to announce that we have so far managed to import 10 000 metric tonnes of maize from South Africa, whose efforts have been made possible by the government which has given us the opportunity to import.
We are, however, waiting for a review of the price of roller meal subsidy from the government so that we pump the product into the market and hope to improve the supply of the commodity within the next 30 days.
Millers are currently owed an excess of ZWD120 million by the government in roller subsidy refunds dating back from last December, and this is affecting the constant supply of roller meal. Under normal circumstances, the subsidy payments should come within seven days.
Our National Chairman, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara, is on a regional and international crusade where he is engaging with grain producers and suppliers, as we intensify grain procurement with the aim of complementing government efforts of ensuring food security.
The CoronaVirus epidemic has also affected our trips to Asia and related destinations where we intend to procure rice, maize, and wheat.
GMAZ remains committed to fulfilling our mandate and moral duty of ensuring national food security.
GMAZ’s Garikai Chaunza
The announcement is made when the country has a very huge deficit in mealie-meal that has seen citizens making elongated queues to buy the commodity.