The decision to amend SI122 was reached by Cabinet at its sitting yesterday and announced by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa at a weekly media briefing.

She said Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr Sekai Nzenza presented to Cabinet the prevailing situation in the market regarding the availability and prices of basic commodities.

“The continuing increases in prices effectively push the commodities beyond the reach of many of our people,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.

“Cabinet further observed that owing to panic and speculative buying, products which used to be sold over a month, are now being sold in just three hours’ time, a situation which is completely unsustainable.

“Accordingly, as a way forward, Cabinet resolved as follows; that the Minister of Industry and Commerce temporarily amends SI122 of 2017 to allow both companies and individuals with offshore and free funds to import specified basic commodities currently in short supply pending the return to normalcy in buying patterns of the public and adequate restocking by manufacturers.”

Commodities that can now be imported include animals oils and fats (lard, tallow and dripping), baked beans, body creams, bottled water, cement, cereals, cheese, coffee creams, cooking oil, crude soya bean oil, fertiliser, finished steel roofing sheets, wheat flour and ice cream.

Those with free funds can also bring in jams, juice blends, margarine, mayonnaise, packaging materials, peanut butter, pizza base, potato crisps, salad creams, shoe polish, soap, sugar, synthetic hair products, wheel barrows, agrochemicals and stock feeds. (Article sourced from The Herald.)