There wont be bread shortages – Grain Millers

There wont be bread shortages – Grain Millers

Hosia Mviringi

The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has allayed fears that the country could soon run out of baking flour, leading to bread shortages.

Speaking in a statement, the GMAZ Chairperson Mr Tafadzwa Musarara assured the nation that all major bakeries in the country are currently adequately stocked up on baking flour, while efforts are being made to release more wheat to millers.

“All the major bakeries , as of today (June 25, 2022), are adequately supplied with bread flour. As we are hopeful for a greenlight soon, we don’t anticipate any supply gaps which may trigger shortages on the market. Accordingly consumers are advised not to panic buy bread. All major bread flour milling companies are geared to resume production as soon as we get greenlight from government on Monday (June 26, 2022).

Musarara revealed, in the same statement, that the GMAZ had mobilised enough imported wheat which is already in the country and ready for release upon remittance of foreign currency payment. Thus it is hoped that today’s Treasury announcement will cater for the said payments for wheat so that it can be releases to millers.

“The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe is engaging government on the procurement of foreign currency to pay for the outstanding payment on imported wheat already in the country and also on the next allocation of local wheat from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).

The temporary wheat supply gap has been responsible for a temporary halt in production by a number of wheat flour millers such as National foods and a few other small scale producers.

“We can confirm that National Foods Limited, the biggest wheat miller, and three other three major bread flour producers have temporarily stopped producing bread flour on account t of limited wheat stocks die to remittance challenges. We are pleased to advise that the Association has already mobilised imported wheat which is in the country and readily available upon payment,” said the statement.

The Millers have been holding extensive continuous engagements with Treasury which culminated in a promise for a downward revision of bread price following agreement on the price build up modalities in the bread value chain.

This time around, the Grain Millers are hopeful that an announcement will be made once positive action has been taken by Government.