Zim imports tonnes of wheat

HARARE – Zimbabwe has imported 30 400 tonnes of wheat worth US$10,6 million to ease a bread shortage in the crisis-hit southern African country, the official Herald newspaper reported yesterday.

Wheat is the country’s second staple crop after maize and Zimbabwe has over the years failed to satisfy its annual wheat consumption of between 400 000 and 450 000 tonnes. Earlier this year, Zimbabwe said it had missed its target to raise wheat output to a record 500 000 tonnes and now expected a harvest of 218 046 tonnes this year after farmers reduced plantings due to shortages of machinery, fuel and fertiliser.Yesterday, Zimbabwe’s Herald newspaper quoted central bank governor Gideon Gono as saying the Reserve Bank had given bakers US$10,6 million to import wheat – but he did not say from where – to ease the current bread shortage.”Zimbabwe has imported 30 400 tonnes…enough to last 68 days until November when the country starts harvesting its winter crop,” it said.Gono and industry officials were not immediately available for comment.The southern African nation has suffered food shortages since 2001 after being affected by drought and disruptions to farming blamed largely on President Robert Mugabe’s seizure of white-owned commercial farms for landless blacks.Critics say the black farmers have been hamstrung by shortages of inputs such as fuel, seed and fertiliser while the majority lack the skills to produce on a commercial scale.Nampa-ReutersEarlier this year, Zimbabwe said it had missed its target to raise wheat output to a record 500 000 tonnes and now expected a harvest of 218 046 tonnes this year after farmers reduced plantings due to shortages of machinery, fuel and fertiliser.Yesterday, Zimbabwe’s Herald newspaper quoted central bank governor Gideon Gono as saying the Reserve Bank had given bakers US$10,6 million to import wheat – but he did not say from where – to ease the current bread shortage.”Zimbabwe has imported 30 400 tonnes…enough to last 68 days until November when the country starts harvesting its winter crop,” it said.Gono and industry officials were not immediately available for comment.The southern African nation has suffered food shortages since 2001 after being affected by drought and disruptions to farming blamed largely on President Robert Mugabe’s seizure of white-owned commercial farms for landless blacks.Critics say the black farmers have been hamstrung by shortages of inputs such as fuel, seed and fertiliser while the majority lack the skills to produce on a commercial scale.Nampa-Reuters