A shortage of mealie-meal looms after the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) cut maize grain supplies to millers by 40%.
This was revealed by Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) deputy chair, Masimba Dzomba, in-charge of the association’s southern region. He said:
I can confirm that our maize supplies from GMB have been reduced by plus or minus 40% and this means that we will not be able to supply mealie-meal to all retail shops in our sphere of influence, not because we do not have the capacity but simply because we will not be having the raw material (maize) to mill.
A severe drought during the 2018/19 summer season significantly reduced maize yields across the country.
Meanwhile, GMB recently increased the price of wheat by 67 per cent, a move likely to result in bread shortages or in an increase in its price.