Tough times ahead as F/town run out of mealie-meal

PATRICIA MAGANU
Staff Writer | Friday November 14, 2008 00:00

 

In every supermarket and wholesale, Zimbabweans are scrambling for mealie-meal. After an eight year political and economic crisis, Zimbabwe is facing acute shortages of maize due to a haphazardly implemented land reform programme, a situation that has been made worse by recurring droughts.

Score Supermarket branch manager Sethata Ntswaneng said that they do not have enough stock to satisfy demand from Zimbabwe. Sethata said that in one morning, 400 bags of mealie-meal had been bought from his store.

'I tried to at least limit so that other customers would not be disadvantaged but the Zimbabweans find ways to buy more than they are allowed to. They send different people into the store to buy for them so our plan was defeated,' he stated. In addition, the Zimbabweans call suppliers to get information when they will deliver stock to a supermarket so that they can be on hand when the consignment arrives.

Sethata said that their suppliers are trying to satisfy all the customers by rationing stock.

'Right now, if you order 2,000 bags you'll get something like 400,' he stated. He said Bokomo mealie-meal sells fast because it is cheaper.

'At the moment they are buying White Star mealie-male at alarming rates because of the acute shortages.' Sethata said they are worried that by the time Christmas comes, there will not be any mealie- meal on the shelves.

Choppies Supermarket manager Dhananjayan Chammencheny said that they are facing problems because the suppliers are not able to fulfil orders. He said that by next month, Francistown is likely to face shortages of maize flour.

He urged government to take steps to restrict or limit export of mealie-meal.

'Last month we did not have a problem and it only started about end of October,' he stated.

Bokomo Milling sales manager in Francistown, Boga Madandi said they received calls from individuals asking when they will deliver stock to supermarkets.

'They call me sometimes on the weekends and ask me if I have delivered to a certain store because they want to buy,' she stated. Madandi said they get their mealie-meal from their plant in Gaborone. She said they feel the pressure from their clients because of the high demand.