THE Government has lifted the ban on the importation of edible oils to mitigate the rising price of cooking oil on the domestic market, Parliament has heard.
Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda said in a ministerial statement yesterday that the decision was intended to meet domestic demand for the commodity by promoting competition among retailers and wholesalers.
Mr Lubinda said that importation of edible oils was suspended this year with a view to promoting the local industry, but some oil processors took advantage of the ban and increased prices.
The minister issued the statement to appraise the House on maize marketing and the Government’s intervention of stabilising the cost of cooking oil, mealie meal and bread.
“To help mitigate rising domestic prices of edible oils, Government has decided to allow limited importation of processed edible oils. This measure is intended to meet domestic demand and to bring in a level of competition on the local market,” Mr Lubinda said.
Mr Lubinda said strict control measures had been put in place to ensure that importers adhered to procedural obligations so that the import policy was not abused.
The Government has since entered the milling business to stabilise the cost of the commodity for the benefit of consumers.
He said it was unfortunate that private millers had failed to secure enough maize for processing, hence they attributed the increase in commodity prices to inadequate raw materials.
“Government will no longer be arm-twisted to allow the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) release maize which is intended for the strategic reserve to private millers,” Mr Lubinda said.
It’s global..
A colossal failure of a common sense….what a government!!
As long as the dollar will need more kwacha to buy it, the goods bought by the dollar from wherever, will be expensive to those buying imported goods in Kwacha. There is enough supply of local cooking oil to meet domestic demand, all the Minister needed to do was to sweat it out patiently for the supply and demand equilibrium to be reached; prices would have stablised. More unnecessary drainage of the dollar from Zambia should be protected at this point to save the situation from going from worse to worst. He shoul have encouraged “Ifisashi” which in fact is more healthy.
It is sad how every major decision this govt has made reflects not well thought through. Now Lubinda thinks he will bring down the cost of cooking oil, yet the truth that won’t happen as we are experiencing Import Inflation, due to massive Kwacha depreciation. The worse case scenario is about to unfold, which is more job losses in this sector as the local manufacturers will not survive. Dear Lubinda, it seems you are really at pains to understand what is happening, simple your team has failed to intervene at the right places in the production chain
This is what happens when decisions are made purely for political expediency. The same price escalations are expected when the foreign poultry farmers wind-up their businesses. It shall take long for the local farmers to fill the void and so supply shall be low.
So Zambians should start drinking saladi when they are Hungary because it wil be cheaper… Ka!
There you go, more evidence of this gov’t’s U turns because of poor planning and bad leadership…did we not tell you that there are smarter ways to deal with these things via policies and not directives…this minister will not pay for his mistake as it is a “global” problem.
Chipante pante fye ba PF.
Too many U-turns and inconsistencies this PF govt. No wonder investors are scared coz no one knows which law they will change next or when price controls will be effected by Chagwa.
Zambians are always making other people richer -South africans,Chinese, americans,Australians,Europeans.. never do we see policy implemented to promote Zambian businesses.Please think Long term. Zambia needs to start supporting Zambians..you think South africans or the Chinese care about Zambia’s welfare?Some of these decisions ministers make need to be collective.We have been leaving important decision to foolish politicians for too long.ABASH Lubinda ABASH bootlicking foreigners
These fckers have now realised that corruption leads to self destruction. They got hefty bribes from Indian cooking oil manufacturers to stop importation of cooking oil so the Indians could control the market and manipulate the prices to get the money they gave PF for campaigns back with interest.
There is more to hit PF. Even adopting the US dollar wont help because, using a foreign currency they way Zimbabwe is doing costs money, a lot of money. Not only that but its also a deliberate invitation of colonisation. If America says, they shall install your leaders and decide who rules your nation, will then turn around and say it unfair?
PF has destroyed all the gains independence brought to Zambia in just 4 years. It will go down in history as the worst govt.
UPND the only way out…
Mr. Lubinda don’t act clever. You were advised not put the ban in the first place, but as usual you ignored the advise! Now reality has demonstrated to you that your decision was wrong! Learn to listen to both sides of a matter! Dialogue helps! Arrogance can be costly!
As I wrote earlier this year, this government has no political will to implement its policies. They banned edible oil imports, but put no measures in place to resurrect oil companies which had folded up, hence obviously creating the shortages. Either they do not understand economics or they are downright cheats who want to personally gain in whatever they do.
Uuko! Kikikikiki pa Zed
Good move Bo lubinda. The importation of cooking oil ban was a good move to help promote local industry but has been misused by out cooking oil producers…! B4 dangote came on the cement market, Zambians were exploited by Chilanga sighting high cost of production but now the price has dropped coz of competition…! The high cost of production many companies claim inorder to justify their exploitative prices is just but a lie..! Plz be firm on these exploiters. They are decompagning the pf…!
RUNNING GOVERNMENT ON TRIAL AND ERA THEORY. THIS GOVERNMENT IS FULL OF EMPTY TINS WHO ARE AT THE SAME TIME LOOTERS. HOW CAN A COUNTRY SURVIVE WITH SUCH LEADERSHIP? AS A LANDLOCKED COUNTRY, AND AS A NON-INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRY, ZAMBIA HAS ALWAYS DEPENDED ON A LOT OF SOUTH AFRICAN FINISHED PRODUCTS. KAUNDA FAILED DISMALLY IN HIS LAST YEARS OF HIS REIGN BECAUSE HE BANNED ENTRY OF ALL PRODUCTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA, BUT CHILUBA MANAGED BECAUSE HE ALLOWED HEAVY INFLOW OF SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCTS. MORE OVER, ZAMBIAN PRODUCTS LIKE COOKING OIL ARE A HEALTH HAZARD BECAUSE THEY ARE SUB-STANDARD.
Flip flop, just three months ago you banned importation. I can assure you no price will come down sir. the kwacha will even depreciate more meaning even higher prices. You are failed Govt and the earlier you exit the better.
Imbeciles rule ok
Political Folly,why ban the oil when you have no capacity to contain the deficit KANSHI !!!!! UBU EBU WELEWELE and only shows how disjointed this govt is………Mulefwaya fye ukutwipaya imwe bangwele……When you are having sumptous meals @ parliament motel at our expense……FOOLS
Prices will definitely come down. Zambian producers cannot be trusted. They easily fall prey to opposition. I insist again allow even importation of flour n other comodities. Small business people who go to south Africa and Tanzania do help
Better than letting Indians exploit us.They are not gud pipo coz they want to exploit indigenous Zambians.U can’t increase by 100% after the ban of importation.Just make sure kwacha is controlled otherwise nothing will work if the kwacha is on free fall.BOZ is use—lesssssssssssss
No wonder you studying in Russia. Need i say more….
NEXT NOW WE ARE WARNING THIS CLUELESS GOVT THAT THEY SHOULD NOT RUN THE MINES.
JUST MANAGE THEM PROPERLY.
MAGANDE DID.
1 step forward, 2 steps back…government ya ku wayawaya!
This is a govt of trial and errors. How do you expect the business community to have confidence in this govt?
My fellow Zambians open your eyes.PF can not run an economy of a country. These chaps are just a bunch of semi illiterate criminals who are simply running a money laundering cartel in a name of governing using a political party.
I SIDO MARK spent thousands of hours to warn Zambians in 2011 and continued to do so in 2014 but again many Zambians voted on tribal lines. This country is cased because of tribal voting no development will ever come to Zambia until will reconcile. Its just like in home were a man and wife are constantly fighting each other no development can occur. My fellow Zambians lets put our differences a side and remove all the spectacles that are only seeing bad things in other tribes other than yours and embrace all what is good for Zambia. HH means well and he will redeem us.
when Lubinda was in the opposition during MMD times, he used to castigate some MMD ministers as most somersaulting ministers whenever they make changes to previous polices. He was very vocal, well his somersaults are unique because his is able to flip four times in the air.
PF is full of fire fighting and damage control.
Fire fighting yes, Damage control l doubt because every move they make is making things worse.
Given, Given, Given, please learn to forecast. This tendency of going back and forth is not good, people may not take you seriously. It’s both good manners and good practice to consult technocrats before taking a major decision in areas you may be inadequate. With all my respect for you, I remain embarrassed by the lack of solid policy formulation and implementation. Learn to consult and try to be consistent.
lets wait and see
Flip flop, flip flop..and in an earlier statement he said maize would be available to millers and now he says no way!!
I dont support the move to ban the importation of edible oil. This government lack consultation and they are too much inconsistence with their own policies. The banning of imported cooking oil should have been maintained, instead what government should have done was to encourage investment in the industry so as to enhance production which will lead to massive production lower costs and promote export which will in turn bring in the needed forex. I have done a lot of local research on this business and the conclusion was that this business is recrutive but lacks government direction and one of the major challenges the industry is facing is imported oil which flood the market and the cost of production which is high. To me these are some of the issues which the minister should have…
It’s starting to sound monotonous – “it’s not our fault….”, “some others from Cartel/UPND/Satan are behind it…”, “it’s global actually so be quiet cipuba, ifintu chabe…”
It begins to sound like incompetence. What next, will they be saying people are hungry because they haven’t prayed enough so it’s their own fault?
When you abuse the poor because your greediness, this is what happens. The local industry was given a chance to prove themselves after they cried foul, what do we see, abuse of the olive branch and exploitation of common man. Well done to reverse the decision and I totally support the move as it clearly shows that Zambian business men are just too short sighted!
My advise though is that the Ministry of Commerce and Finance needs to wake and start working. Hon. Mwanakatwe and Chikwanda need to demonstrate that they are seriously helping President Lungu! In my view as firm believer of the PF administration, these two Ministries are not doing much and its time they wake up from the slumber and start putting things in order.
Times have changed and the two policy makers need to realise this…
contd
Times have changed and the two policy makers need to realise this fact and hence be on top of things. let them recruit serious and sharp young men and women and let them coordinate the parameters of our economy. The ball in my view really is in these two Ministries currently and the sooner they take their work seriously, the better for Zambia.
Chikwanda must devise serious measures to monitor our monetary situation whilst Mwanakatwe must ensure that before a policy decision that may impact our economy is pronounced, wide consultations are done cautiously but swiftly. Remember the cartel are very real and a lot is at play here!
Hear, Hear, Hear. This will have no impact. Imported goods will still be more expensive because of the kwacha depreciation. In fact this will add more pressure on the kwacha depreciation because we will need more dollars to import the cooking oil. UKUSABAILA KWAFULA
1. NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYERS
2. SOLAR MILLING PLANTS WITH MEALIE MEAL PRICE AT K45.00 PER 50KG
3. WE WILL NATIONALISE THE MINES
4. WE WILL TAKE OVER THE MILLING PLANTS,
These are the issues we complain about and then some cadre will decide to unleash insults. Facts are facts this government is clueless. We condemned Banda for his directionless leadership and we are doing the same with the incumbent. If HH comes and starts doing the same useless things we will be here to condemn him. Some people think you need to choose a side to support, unfortunately I don’t believe that, I have told myself to never worship a man. Two steps forward and then two steps backwards, what a government.
Anyway, educate here, who said that HH will ever be President of Zambia? When we are faced with temporal challenges especially where one has very little control, does it mean the answer is to bring any other available person without thinking?
Look, HH was never and will never be President of Zambia. Running a country is not the same as running kantemba with uni-directional bias and thinking. If HH was the President in the current situation we are facing today, believe you me, Zambia would have been far much worse than it is. HH hijacked the leadership of UPND and to make matters worse he has clearly to this day demonstrated that only his fellow tribesmate ought to be in that party. Dont be f00led, GBM is just a rubber stamp in UPND and everyone knows this fact. So forget your HH to ever…
UFO lets not be emotional, When I say “IF” what does that mean? I know English is not our mother tongue but just read carefully before over reacting to things. I am not god to know whether HH will ever be president.
ban the export of maize too to avert extreme hunger in the country
I tink on dis one lubinda is rit, the price of cookin oil has seriosly skyrocketed.Global industries has been perpetually icreasig its edible oil at the expense of zabianz.fimwenye ar filing gud annd hiding in the name of kwacha.
Child’s play from this minister, or is it muliokela commedy part 2
Govt acted in good faith by accepting demands from local cooking oil delers,wheat,maize exporters. These groups immediatery govt announced the ban on imports prices went up zambeef led cooking oil hikes frm k9/ L To K19/L. I 100% support this reverse let locals learn to respect customers.maize & its product stock feed went up bcoz of allowing exports cant support govt vision it was now time for opposition to see govt as if it has failed mealie meal up stock feed x3 yet they allowed to export. Govt ban stock feed exports if prices cant go down,bread,lift wheat imports to reduce bread prices. N b never import from items nations that refuse zed goods to enter there countries. Only allow exports when demand locally stable & exports even allow zambians to have lower prices. It shudnt be a…