Chronicle Editor
Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
GOVERNMENT will continue to use moral suasion to encourage retailers to revert prices of basic commodities to March 25 levels as well as adhere to a price moratorium.
Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza said this while responding to questions from journalist during a post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday.
Last week, Government and the private sector, which includes the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) agreed to reduce prices to March 25 levels in line with the moratorium on prices of essential foods.
However, retailers are yet to honour the agreement despite CZR having indicated that its members would start implementing the agreement beginning Monday this week.
The moratorium is part of the measures to cope with the adverse effects of Covid-19 and lockdown measures required to contain the global threat.
The moratorium follows recent steep price increases on basic commodities.
Dr Nzenza said following the recent historic roundtable, Government and the private sector, players came to a common understanding that the country was plagued by Covid-19 and therefore, price increases would hurt the consumer.
“However, with all agreements, it’s not always that you get compliance. We have done a survey very recently, we have realised that some retailers have indeed gone back to the 25th of March prices.
“Others have not changed their prices at all, others have continued to increase the prices so the aim now is to get together and continuously engage because this agreement was done in good faith.
“We are basically saying we are all in this journey of Covid-19 together let’s also consider what the impact is on the consumer,” she said.
Dr Nzenza said as Zimbabwe was under siege from the Covid-19 global pandemic, the country’s economic performance was being threatened negatively and thus it was imperative for the Government and the private sector in unison to reach concensus on addressing the challenges at stake as a result of the global pandemic.
“We are living under Covid-19, a very unusual situation and what is the impact, prices continue to go up, tenants cannot pay rent.
“So, to address these problems… I would say we are able to table that and have a dialogue, which is done in good faith.
“Regarding prices as a Government, we are listening, we are also listening to the challenges that are being faced by the retailers.
“They are talking about the challenges to do with lack of raw materials that also need foreign currency.
“Be that as it may, we still need to talk and have a dialogue in good faith,” she said.
Most of the supermarkets in Bulawayo are selling basic commodities at exorbitant prices taking advantage of the lockdown regulations that confine consumers to buy from shops within a 5km radius from their residential areas.
In some cases, the shops in the western suburbs of the city are charging more for those using electronic payment such as Ecocash and swipe.
A 2kg packet of sugar is selling for up to $100 in some shops in the western suburbs compared to $70 or less in the CBD while a 2- litre bottle of cooking oil is selling for $180 compared to $140 in the CBD.
A 2kg packet of flour is selling for $105 in the western suburbs yet it’s going for $80 or less in the CBD.
Most shops in the western suburbs are selling a 2kg packet of rice for $110 while the same packet is selling for $90 or less in the CBD. – @okazunga
Online Reporter