Published: 12 hours ago

Grain millers have warned that Zimbabwe is facing a looming shortage of mealie-meal, urging the government to reconsider its recent ban on grain imports to prevent potential food insecurity.

David Moyo, southern region chairperson of the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ), said the current maize supply situation has changed drastically. While the government announced over two million tonnes of maize in stock and expected millers to purchase directly from local farmers, many farmers are now holding onto their produce, possibly in anticipation of a drought.

"We used to take three hours to load a 30-tonne truck, but now it takes seven days," Moyo said. He appealed to authorities to lift the ban on maize imports and revisit Statutory Instrument 87 of 2025, which he said artificially inflates the cost of mealie-meal, ultimately hurting consumers.

Moyo suggested the government revert to the previous system that allowed producers to foster competition among millers, which would help lower prices.

GMAZ southern region vice-chairman, Mthokozisi Sibanda, said that maize supplies were arriving in small quantities, leaving milling companies fast running out of stock.

"Our supplies are depleted. Some government interventions, while well-intentioned, are working against a sustainable maize supply," Sibanda said, referencing SI 145/2019 which allowed the Grain Marketing Board to be the sole maize supplier, and later policies that granted select farmers privileges to purchase and control large quantities of grain.

Sibanda said the recently introduced SI 87 of 2025, which permits imports under strict conditions and levies, complicates the cost structure, increasing prices for consumers and making business operations difficult for millers.

A tour of milling companies, including Blue Ribbon Private Limited, National Foods, Bulateke, Mathokozisa Milling Brands, Champion Consumer Brands, and Sunset Milling Company, revealed severely depleted stocks, with some firms already sending workers home due to the shortage.

Millers are calling for urgent policy adjustments to ensure a stable maize supply and avoid potential food crises in the southern region and beyond.
- Newsday

You might also want to read this

• Zimbabwe grain import ban affecting SA farmers
• Zimbabwe tightens grain import rules
• Zimbabwe's grain deliveries surge
• Zimbabwe grain surplus can last 9 months
• Zim grain reserves adequate despite dryness
• Zimbabwe's grain reserve running dangerously low