Harare-19 July 2018- The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has started scouting and supplying flour to small scale bakers throughout the country to avoid artificial bread and other flour related products shortages .
There has been panic buying of flour related products by consumers, speculating of potential price hikes.
In a statement Thursday, GMAZ chairman, Tafadzwa Musarara said national flour supplies remain stable.
“The national wheat and flour stocks remain stable with major bread and biscuit bakers adequately and constantly replenished.
“Consequently the overall national bread supply has exceeded 93%,” he said.
“Remainder of small scale bakers supplying Circa 10% of national bread market have had supplies started to be made to them on Monday 16 July 2018.
“Tentative supplies made as at 14 July are as follows: Blue Ribbon Foods Harare branch, 180 tonnes, Bulawayo 90 tonnes , Masvingo 60 tonnes, Chinhoyi 60 tonnes, Mutare 60 tonnes and Midlands 90 tonnes. “ National Foods Harare 3634 tonnes. Nulenty 200 tonnes”, he said.
These companies would supply flour to bakers in their sphere of influence nationwide.
Musarara also said national wheat milling capacity was next month going to be significantly increased by the opening of a new milling plant by Blue Ribbon Foods.
“ The new Blue Ribbon Foods wheat plant with an additional 9,000 metric tonnes per month capacity is expected to commence production on or about 4 August 2018.This will see a 12.3% increase in national installed wheat milling capacity,” her said.
“ So what we are saying is that there is no need for panic buying which we are seeing in some areas because the nation has adequate flour supplies which are starting next months will be flooding and to those engaging in such behavior are just but wasting their time and money,” he said.
