WHAT’S GOING ON?

WHAT Government has been trying to hide is now out in the open. The country has no maize.

This can only mean that calamity is looming and to forestall this, the government has in a desperate move asked the private sector to start importing mealie meal.

And to facilitate the process, Government has removed all import taxes.

Agriculture Minister Reuben Mtolo Phiri is now pleading with the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) to ask its members to start importing mealie without import surcharge in an attempt to mitigate the shortage of the staple food.

In a letter dated April 4, 2023 to ZACCI, Mr Phiri said Government on its part was going to quicken the issuance of import permits to traders wishing to bring in the mealie meal from outside the country.

Mr Phiri said in his letter that the imported mealie meal would be free of the import sur-charge as an incentive to ZACCI, its members and other traders.

“This is to confirm that government is desirous to bring in mealie meal not maize into the country in order to satisfy the overwhelming demand the country is experiencing along its borders.

You are, therefore, encouraged to inform your members and other trading groups in the country to import mealie meal.

On its part, the government will quicken the process of issuing the import and import permits. As an incentive, the imported mealie meal will be free of the import sur-charge,” Mr Phiri said.

It is clear that Government is not being honest over the maize stock in the country. It has constantly assured that the country has enough maize. Why then should there be a need to import mealie meal?

The government blames smuggling of mealie meal for the shortage in various parts of the country as well as the high prices.

But as we have pointed out before, smuggling of mealie meal to the Congo DR is not a new phenomenon that can be used as an excuse for the ongoing shortage.

What the nation wants to know is where the mealie meal is going since the government has assured that the country has more than enough maize with the Food Reserve Agency.

According to Mr Phiri, FRA is holding 342, 135.52 metric tonnes of maize at strategic grain reserves.

He says the FRA, has continuously been releasing maize on the market to ensure constant supply of mealie meal to millers.

Mr Phiri said FRA has released maize onto the local market, and prices of mealie meal would have stabilised with no risk of having abnormal prices on the local market.

The letter to ZACCI does not show that Government is in control of the situation as the shortage of mealie meal persists what with Zambians along border areas are being restricted to buying one bag per family.

Moreover, the non-availability of mealie meal comes at the heels of the country having embarked on the exportation of maize despite having been warned and advised against.

The excruciating shortage of mealie meal has compelled retailers and chain stores which are partially stocked to start restricting consumers to only buy one bag of the commodity as the scarcity of the staple food continues.

The public as of now do not know what to believe. The government tells them there is more than enough maize in the country and in the next breath, allows for mealie meal imports without any restrictions.

What is going on?