Millers push for wheat bran import ban repeal

Local stock-feed manufacturers have logged an urgent appeal to Government to lift the ban on maize and wheat bran importation, which was effected early this year.

In a position letter to the Government, stock-feed manufacturers said there is limited bran on the market due to reduced milling activity on wheat and maize.

"This has caused an uptick in prices of stock-feed. The surge in stock-feed price is a result of manufacturers using more soya meal, which is more expensive," read the letter.

Wheat bran is a by-product of milling and a key component in stock-feed manufacturing.

Government banned the importation of wheat bran as a finished product in January this year, and directed millers to use local grain and wheat to make wheat bran as an import substitution strategy to cut the import bill on agricultural products.

However, stock-feed manufacturers claim that millers are producing only for human consumption and leaving out animal consumption.

"As such, millers are no longer supplying the stock-feed industry adequate bran as a cheaper source of protein increasing the cost of stock feed production."

Zimbabwe's agriculture is also heavily reliant on animal husbandry as a source of income for many small scale farmers.

Stock-feed manufacturers have warned that if the issue is not addressed, a price uptick in feed could soon affect egg and meat production by small scale farmers.