Zimbabwe: Bakeries Shut As Country Runs Out of Wheat
SW Radio Africa (London)
5 September 2007 Posted to the web 5 September 2007
Tererai Karimakwenda
The Bakers' Association of Zimbabwe revealed Wednesday that the country has run out of wheat and without wheat you don't have flour, forcing many bakeries to just stop operating.
Acting chairman Vincent Mangoma confirmed that there was no bread in most of the shops and the bakers are facing serious challenges. Asked whether there was any wheat on order or a plan to resolve this crisis, Mangoma said: "The authorities would be better suited to answer that. We have made representations to government regarding these shortages and we understand there is some on order at Beira. But there might be a problem with payment." Mangoma was referring to some 36,000 tonnes of imported wheat reported to be stuck at the border with Mozambique. The problem with payment is a polite way of saying there is no foreign currency to pay for it.
Also on Wednesday state media reported that Zimbabwe's largest bread producer Lobels, had already shut their bakery in Bulawayo on August 25 due to the shortages. Now operations director Lenny Chikomo said hundreds of workers at the main factory in Harare had been sent home. He told reporters that daily production has decreased from 200,000 loaves back in May to only 40,000. Chikomo is quoted as saying: "Flour availability has deteriorated, and this has forced us to use our strategic stocks since May. Now we are only left with two days' supply." Relevant Links Southern Africa Food, Agriculture and Rural Issues Economy, Business and Finance Sustainable Development Zimbabwe
Earlier this year government introduced severe power load shedding across the country claiming that power would be diverted to farmers so they could irrigate winter wheat. But that didn't happen and the harvests have been disastrous.
There has been little bread in the shops for three months now since the government ordered price freezes claiming they were trying to stem inflation. This meant businesses were forced to operate at a loss as government insisted on determining the price structure for basic commodities. Mangoma from the Bakers Association said this has been just one of the problems they face. He said: "The price of bread has never been enough to cover the manufacture of bread. We hope when the issue of availability is resolved that government revisits the price issue."
Over the years supplies of wheat and maize at the state run Grain Marketing Board have dwindled to almost nothing as re-settled farmers failed to produce enough food for the nation. Many had no seeds or fertilizer and government schemes to provide loans for agriculture are riddled with corruption. The larger farms providing food security for the nation were generally taken over by the ruling elite, with little interest in producing food.
