Following a warning last week of possible shortages by the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ), bakeries in the country have now started to run short of flour. The shortages are because of a lack of foreign currency, limiting imports from Mozambique.
Last week the GMAZ warned that flour stocks were at their lowest levels in thirteen years: one quarter of the required minimum stock level and below monthly demand levels.
The shortages come at a time when demand for bread has reportedly risen by 30%. Some stores have already started to run out of bread and rolls.
Zimbabwean media has reported that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has failed to remit $12.5m to wheat supplier, Holbud Limited from GMAZ’s Ecobank wheat account. This has resulted in the supplier diverting stocks elsewhere because of an existing debt for wheat totalling $12.2m from 2016.
