Maravi

C/belt mealie-meal shortage worsens

C/belt mealie-meal shortage worsens
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Wed 21 Nov. 2012, 14:10 CAT

THE shortage of mealie-meal in some parts of the Copperbelt worsened by midday yesterday, which Zambia Consumer Association attributes to smuggling of the commodity into the DRC. Serious shortages were recorded in Kitwe's town centre, Buchi, Chimwemwe, Cha Cha Cha and Ndeke townships.

A check revealed that depots for major millers such as Olympic, Antelope and Mpongwe milling within the town centre ran out of the commodity by 12:00 hours yesterday and were only supplying flour which was readily available.

In Shoprite Kitwe, people scrambled for the few stocks that were on the shelves after word went round that the chain stores had Antelope mealie-meal.

In Chisokone area, there was serious commotion at various depots as some traders had taken advantage of the situation and created a black market where prices of the commodity had been inflated to K60,000 per 25 kilogramme bag of Breakfast meal.

And in Chingola, the shortage was serious with only selected shops having the commodity while in Chililabombwe, the situation was worse as consumers blamed the millers that had been supplying mealie-meal to Kasumbalesa where the commodity is always smuggled into Congo DR.
No official position has been given yet by the Millers Association of Zambia over the shortages.

The Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) said the smuggling of mealie-meal to the Democratic Republic of Congo through Kasumbalesa border had greatly contributed to the shortage of the commodity on the Copperbelt.
Association executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga said the shortage of mealie-meal on the Copperbelt was unacceptable.

He said there was need for urgent interventions from stakeholders, that included the government, to reverse the situation.

Ililonga said there was need to tighten border controls to stop smuggling activities on the Congo border and ensure that the larger population on the Copperbelt was protected from the looming hunger as a result of mealie-meal shortages.

Vice-President Guy Scott learnt on Saturday when he abruptly visited Kasumbalesa border that more than 2,000 bags of mealie-meal and numerous goods from Zambia are smuggled into Congo DR daily.

Labels: COPPERBELT PROVINCE, FOOD, MEALIE MEAL

posted by MrK @ 4:59 PM