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Business Correspondent
THE local milling industry is importing about 80 percent of raw materials due to local farmers’ inability to meet demand, the vice chairman of the Grain Millers of Zimbabwe, Mr Chipo Nheta, has said. He said local farmers were facing viability challenges to produce enough for industry due to grain being imported at low and uncompetitive prices.
“Currently local farmers are not viable and about 80 percent of our raw materials are imported. We are importing genetically modified (GMO) free products like maize from South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique,” said Mr Nheta.
The milling companies are also importing wheat from Argentina, Ukraine, Australia and Russia.
He said local farmers were not being fairly treated as they were forced to compete with genetically modified products smuggled from neighbouring countries.
“There is need to introduce proper tariffs on imported grain and level the playing field and enable our farmers to compete with imported grain,” said Mr Nheta.
Some countries are reportedly offering export incentives to their companies to export and negatively affecting the local farmers.
The Potato Council of Zimbabwe (PCZ) is battling to control the smuggling of GMO potatoes into the country.
Recently PCZ warned that those who continue smuggling potatoes would face arrest.
“The Potato Council of Zimbabwe promotes the production of locally produced potatoes. We warn all stakeholders that South African potatoes are being illegally imported and sold on the Bulawayo market. Please be advised there is a risk of confiscation when the
Government authorities take measures to stamp out this illegal trade. There are adequate supplies of Zimbabwe produced potatoes. Thank you for promoting increased production of potatoes in our country,” said the statement.
Calls have been made to stop rampant corruption at the country’s borders where smugglers are allegedly paying authorities to let in illegal agricultural produce.
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