Cyclone Idai affects wheat transportation in Zimbabwe

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Cyclone Idai, which hit earlier on this week has affected the transportation of wheat in Zimbabwe. The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) chairman, Tafadzwa Musarara said the cyclone, in battering parts of Mozambique and Zimbabwe’s eastern region, caused the disruption in the transportation of wheat from the Mozambican port city of Beira; the port has since been rendered inaccessible.

Fortunately, under the current wheat shortages caused by the forex crunch, Musarara asserted that his organization has been able to supply up to 50% wheat demand by local bakers. This is contrary to claims the millers representative group entrusted with public funds was doing little to ease recurrent shortages of the staple food in the country.

According to Musarara, wheat supplies are set to improve in the next coming few weeks once a new plan has been effected. GMAZ was paid approximately US $25m by RBZ in 2018 to source wheat for the country.

At the moment, he said, more than 100 trucks were still stuck in Beira because of the disaster.