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Zimbabwe to import 30,000 tonnes of wheat

HARARE - Zimbabwe will import 30,000 tonnes of wheat from its neighbours in a bid to ease widespread bread shortages of bread, the agriculture minister has announced, according to the state daily.

Agriculture Minister Rugare Gumbo was quoted as saying in the state-run Herald newspaper as saying 2,000 tonnes had so far been delivered while the bulk of 30,000 tonnes was expected ‘anytime soon from now.’

‘The government is trying its level best to bring in more wheat into the country and make sure that bakeries are supplied with enough flour very soon,’ Gumbo said.

The paper did not specify which countries would supply the wheat but Zimbabwe has previously imported from southern and east African countries such as Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania.

Several major bakers have suspended or scaled down operations after a critical shortage of wheat across a nation in the throes of deep economic crisis.

There are shortages of other basic foodstuffs like cooking oil and the staple cornmeal, while at least 80 percent of the population is living below the poverty threshold.

Bread is the most affordable food for poor families who often resort to skipping some meals to stretch their incomes to the next payday.

The southern African country has faced critical shortages of bread since the state distributor, the Grain Marketing Board, failed to supply enough wheat to bakers because of poor harvests.

Zimbabwe’s annual wheat requirement is about 400,000 tonnes but there has been a consistent deficit since land reforms initiated in 2000 led to the departure of about 4,000 white farmers and triggered a slide in output.

Last month, the southern African country imported at least 1,000 tonnes of wheat imported from Mozambique.

The consignment had earlier been held in Mozambique over debts owed to an unnamed foreign supplier.