Tafadzwa Nyikadzino

Prices of basic goods and commodities have remained high despite yesterday’s agreement between the Government and producers to revert them to levels of 25 March.

Vice President Kembo Mohadi made an announcement yesterday that basic food items like maize-meal, rice, cooking oil, sugar, salt, flour, and bread should regress to the levels they had reached on March 25.

A snap survey conducted by State Of The Nation today in major Supermarkets in Harare reveals that the prices of targeted basic commodities have not changed, with some commodities like cooking oil and sugar still lingering on exorbitant prices.

Subsidized maize meal was not available in Pick n Pay in Orr Street, while bread was being sold at Zwl$30, Gloria Flour, ZwL$96.99, and 2kg Salt for ZwL$33. Commodities like Cooking Oil and Sugar were not available as well.

At Born Marche in Avondale, Rice was being sold at ZwL$107.99 while sugar and cooking oil were not on the shelves. One of the shop attendants who spoke to reporters of State Of The Nation said cooking oil and sugar were available in the shop howbeit they were not displayed on the shelves.

“We have sugar and cooking oil in our storeroom but the commodities are not being put on the shelves. I have no idea why the shop is not putting those commodities on the shelves” said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

In an interview with the State of the Nation News, Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers Association President Mr. Denford Mutashu said they were in the process of operationalising the move and urged citizens to expect and the announcement of new prices soon.

“We are in the process of operationalising the process of reverting prices to the levels of 25 March. Today we were in a meeting with producers and suppliers over the matter and you should expect us to make an announcement on new prices soon” he said.

When asked if the move is going to result in the withdrawal of commodities from the shelves, Mr. Mutashu said there will be no shortages because producers and supplies have all agreed to operationalise this move in good faith.

“We will not have any shortages because the producers and supplies have all agreed to operationalise this move in good faith. So we will be announcing new prices soon” he said.