News / National
Zimbabwe imports 450 000 tonnes of maize
04 Jan 2016 at 14:27hrs | Views
The Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Joseph Made has said more than $260 million to import food for drought-prone areas for this year up to 2017 has been mobilised.
According to ZBC, Made said only 450 000 tonnes have been imported saying 700 000 tonnes is still pending.
Made said over 60 grain importers have been granted permits to import 1.2 million tonnes of maize.
He said despite the crop assessment, the situation looks bleak and government is looking beyond 2016-17.
Made said it is government's duty to import grain with the private sector and the donor community playing a supporting role.
This comes as Made came under fire last week from Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) Matabeleland Provinces Chapter amid reports that he was refusing to issue import licences to maize traders
Matabeleland provinces are staring a crippling food shortage.
GMAZ Matabeleland Provinces Chapter, Thembinkosi Ndlovu in a letter dated December 24, 2015 and copied to top Government officials including the Acting President Phelekezela Mphoko threatened to drag Dr Made to court to compel him to issue the importation licences.
Reads the letter in part: ". . . we write to advise that the maize situation in Matabeleland provinces is now dire and degenerating into a security matter. I regret to advise you that maize supplies for commercial milling in Bulawayo currently stand at one week supply and the situation will deteriorate to no supply very soon.
"Our chapter is deeply disappointed by your ministry(‘s) decision to decline application of maize from South Africa and South America for the milling of maize meal and livestock feeds.
"Food is a constitutional right and we are entitled to demand, as we hereby do, for your office to start, forthwith, to issue permits to all grain traders which are mentioned in the maize importation action plan submitted to you by our national office.
"However, if we fail to get your cooperation in this regard we will have no option but to seek the intervention of courts to compel your office to do the same."
According to ZBC, Made said only 450 000 tonnes have been imported saying 700 000 tonnes is still pending.
Made said over 60 grain importers have been granted permits to import 1.2 million tonnes of maize.
He said despite the crop assessment, the situation looks bleak and government is looking beyond 2016-17.
Made said it is government's duty to import grain with the private sector and the donor community playing a supporting role.
This comes as Made came under fire last week from Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) Matabeleland Provinces Chapter amid reports that he was refusing to issue import licences to maize traders
GMAZ Matabeleland Provinces Chapter, Thembinkosi Ndlovu in a letter dated December 24, 2015 and copied to top Government officials including the Acting President Phelekezela Mphoko threatened to drag Dr Made to court to compel him to issue the importation licences.
Reads the letter in part: ". . . we write to advise that the maize situation in Matabeleland provinces is now dire and degenerating into a security matter. I regret to advise you that maize supplies for commercial milling in Bulawayo currently stand at one week supply and the situation will deteriorate to no supply very soon.
"Our chapter is deeply disappointed by your ministry(‘s) decision to decline application of maize from South Africa and South America for the milling of maize meal and livestock feeds.
"Food is a constitutional right and we are entitled to demand, as we hereby do, for your office to start, forthwith, to issue permits to all grain traders which are mentioned in the maize importation action plan submitted to you by our national office.
"However, if we fail to get your cooperation in this regard we will have no option but to seek the intervention of courts to compel your office to do the same."
Source - ZBC
