Business Reporter

SMALL-to-medium scale millers have appealed to Government to increase grain allocations to enable them to improve supply of mealie-meal to the formal market.

Through their lobby group, the Small-to-Medium Millers Association of Zimbabwe (SMMAZ), the players said increased allocations would improve supply of the commodity and ease prevailing mealie-meal shortages.

Speaking during a Press conference in Bulawayo soon after their first board meeting last Friday, interim SMMAZ chairman, Mr Davis Muhambi, said monthly grain allocations by the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), were not adequate.

Mr Muhambi said there was therefore a need to increase allocations and not wait for the end of the month for new allocations.

He proposed that Government credits their members’ grain accounts with GMB so that the millers can draw down grain in advance to address the mealie-meal shortages.

“We’ve resolved as board of SMMAZ that we should step up engagement with the Government to address this mealie-meal shortage because we have the capacity to meet demand,” he said.

Mr Muhambi said dealers were taking advantage of the shortages to fleece consumers by charging exorbitant prices for mealie-meal.

The national grain requirement is about 1,8 million tonnes annually and due to poor harvest last cropping season, Government is importing to cover the deficit. It has also allowed individuals and corporates with free funds to also import grain.

Mr Muhambi warned millers against diverting roller meal to the black market saying those who dare do that risk losing the allocations.

“The millers who divert roller meal to the black market risk being banned from receiving GMB allocations,”he said.