Tough times as 10kgs of mealie meal price hits $1 665
Business Reporter
THE citizens of Zimbabwe have been struck a hard blow following the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe’s (GMAZ) decision to hike a 10kgs mealie meal pocket to ZW$1 665 which is equivalent to US$5,50 when indexed against the parallel market exchange rate.
The millers group president ,Tafadzwa Musarara said the decision comes as a last resort prompted by the Grain Marketing Board’s move to effect a 50% increase in the price of white maize which moved from ZW$50 000 to ZW$75 000 per metric tonne.
Wheat rose by 17,8% to ZW$66 000 per metric tonne from ZW$56 000 per metric tonne.
“These increases are substantial and millers cannot absorb them. At its urgent virtual meeting of yesterday , the GMAZ secretariat reported the following price movements ;10kg Roller Meal prices to increased to ZW$1 665 from ZW$1,099,” he said.
GMAZ said these price increments are with immediate effect but individual millers and wholesale retailers are still free to negotiate for price discounts.
“The costs of packaging, labour, transport, electricity and imported wheat continue to militate against price stabilisation efforts.
“We assure the consuming public that our scientific computation model remains reasonable, justified and we have been restraintful in our cost accumulation,” said Musarara.
The association expressed profound gratitude to the Agriculture and Finance and Industry Ministries for the ongoing engagements which are aimed at achieving affordability and availability of the products.
The new price structures will further push ailing Zimbabweans into deep hardship considering that many are still earning salaries that are way below the Total Consumption Poverty Lines amid research findings establishing that 49% of the country’s population is living in extreme poverty.
Key stakeholders like the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) have since challenged Finance Minister,Mthuli Ncube to link economic growth predictions to people centred issues by availing meaning subsidies which eases the ever rising hardships.
