Mealie meal shortage hits Isoka

A CRITICAL shortage of mealie meal has hit Isoka.

A check by the Daily Nation at Isoka Central Business District (CBD) showed that most all the retailing shops, Vichili Vikwiza milling limited and Niza Milling out including Jupiter Rite the only supermarket in Isoka , had run out of the country’s staple food.

A number of traders and consumers found at the outlets struggled to buy the commodity from the truck even before it could be of oaded into the shop.

Vichili Vikwiza Milling Limited director Elijah Sinkolongo said his company has halted production because of the shortage of maize

‘‘We halted production in the past two weeks due to shortage of maize because we did not stock enough. As millers we have however written to government through the office of the istrict Commissioner to release maize to millers at a subsidized price,’’ Mr Sinkolongo said.

He has appealed to government through the Ministry of Agriculture to quickly intervene and ensure that maize is released to millers to mitigate shortage of mealie meal in the district.

Meanwhile, Isoka District Commissioner venwell utambo said his office had written to the Ministry of Agriculture through FRA to release maize to millers at a subsidized price so that community members could access cheap mealie meal.

Mr Mutambo said the Ministry of Agriculture had responded that government had already released maize for sale to community members and could not release more for millers.

Mr Mutambo, however, appealed to government to explore alternatives of making the commodity cheap and available saying not all community members could afford to buy a bag of maize at K110.