Zimbabwe Suffers Bread Shortage, Offers Farm Supplies
6 November 2007 Power outages have disrupted irrigated wheat farming, lowering harvests to two-thirds of required amounts, and creating chronic bread shortages. Formerly the breadbasket of the region, Zimbabwe has suffered from real inflation of almost 25,000%, creating power outages and gasoline scarcity. Imported wheat shipments have been delayed by shortages of hard currency. Vincent Mangoma, chairman of the National Bakers’ Association, said: “Only a few bakers have flour stocks … the rest are likely to remain closed.” Although the National Prices and Incomes Commission permitted the price of bread to rise to Zimbabwe dollars 100,000 (US $0.20), the shortages are expected to continue until flour stocks improve. The country’s central bank has offered a range of incentives to revive food production, such as free distribution of tens of thousands of animal-drawn plows, planters, and cultivating equipment; as well as a free vehicle, a family holiday in southern Africa, spending money, and free fertilizer and chemicals to any farmer producing 1,000 tons of corn.
Get The Newsletter Today!
