Wheat, flour seized
Posted: Tuesday, September 10, 2002Herald Reporter
THOUSANDS of tonnes of wheat, flour and cooking oil have been impounded by the Grain Marketing Board at various milling companies, wholesalers and bakeries as the shortage of bread and other controlled products continues to grip Zimbabwe.
Bakers are pressing for a bread price increase, hence the hoarding of flour.
Almost 6 000 tonnes of various quantities of controlled products and 17 000 litres of cooking oil and sterilised milk were impounded over the weekend at various enterprises in Harare and Concession by police and the GMB.
The products that were seized in the joint operation, code-named Chizunza, include 4 570 tonnes of wheat, 884 tonnes of flour, 51 tonnes of maize meal and 230 tonnes of maize.
During the operation, 40,5 tonnes of sugar, 6 040 litres of cooking oil and 10 488 litres of sterilised milk were impounded.
A GMB spokesman said that most of the impounded products were discovered at various milling companies, wholesalers, retail outlets and bakeries in Harare.
At least 60 tonnes of maize were found hidden in an underground trench at a commercial farm in Concession.
Of the impounded flour, the greater percentage was of cake flour rather than ordinary baker’s flour. Millers are producing more cake flour because the price of cakes is not controlled.
Police said they believed that the situation was widespread.
"We believe that there are several companies which are hoarding basic commodities. We would like to warn them that those caught flouting the rules will be dealt with. We will continue with our operation until all the culprits are brought to book,’’ said a police spokesman.
The GMB officials said that they were concerned about the prevalence of hoarding in the country.
"Hoarding of controlled goods has damaging repercussions to the Government and the GMB since most of the blame for poor supply of wheat and maize is directed at us,’’ said the official.
The board appealed to millers, bakers, wholesalers and retailers to put the interests of the consumers first. It said consumers were finding it difficult to buy basic goods and that hoarding was causing untold human suffering to most people.
However, a managing director at one of the companies that was raided defended hoarding saying that it was a way of protesting against price controls imposed by the Government on basic commodities.
A baker said the price of a loaf of bread needed to be increased because it did not match production costs such as electricity and wages.
The Concession commercial farmer who allegedly ordered his workers to hide more than 60 tonnes of maize at his farm which was listed by the Government in April has been arrested.
Police spokesman Chief Superinten-dent Bothwell Mugariri said that the farmer, Aaron Smith of Kwayedza Farm, was arrested on Sunday.
He said police acting on a tip-off raided the farm on Sunday and found the maize concealed in a trench.
Chief Supt Mugariri said Smith was expected to appear on initial remand before a Bindura magistrates’ court soon to answer allegations of contravening the Grain Marketing Board Act.
Some farmers have in the last few months been arrested for allegedly burning and poisoning maize, the country’s staple food, apparently to thwart Govern-ment’s efforts to alleviate hunger in the country.
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