Zimbabwe: No Grain Crisis - Govt Dismisses Claims of Widespread Millers' Shutdown

What the report says

Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Agriculture has denied reports that Blue Ribbon Industries and 23 other millers halted operations in Bulawayo because of a maize shortage. In a statement cited by 263Chat and distributed via AllAfrica, the ministry said it checked with Blue Ribbon and the other companies named in the report and found no evidence that their milling plants had shut down.

The government response came after a circular attributed to Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe Southern Region chair Major (Rtd) David Moyo claimed local maize supplies had fallen sharply and that millers were struggling to keep production running. Officials said those claims were being used to suggest a nationwide grain crisis and to support calls for more grain imports. The ministry rejected that interpretation, saying the situation reflected only localized supply and quality issues, not a countrywide shortage.

The article says Zimbabwean authorities point to official figures showing higher maize production this year, along with projected grain surplus and stocks held by the Grain Marketing Board. It also notes that the dispute sits within a broader policy battle over import levies on grain, which millers have opposed and the government has defended as a way to protect domestic farming and reduce import dependence. The report adds context that Blue Ribbon’s Bulawayo plant did close during a maize shortage in 2025, but the ministry says the current claims are different.