Zimbabwe: Millers Warn of Bread Price Hikes in High Court Challenge

THE Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has filed an urgent legal challenge at the High Court seeking nullification of Statutory Instrument (SI) 87 of 2025, arguing that the grain import levy regime is unconstitutional, unlawful and likely to trigger significant increases in food prices.

In an application lodged at the Commercial Court Division in Harare, GMAZ said the regulations imposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and administered through the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) threaten national food security and the affordability of staple commodities.

The association cited AMA, the Ministers of Agriculture, Justice, Finance and Industry and Commerce, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) and the Attorney General as respondents.

GMAZ national chairman Tafadzwa Musarara, who deposed to the founding affidavit, said the association represents more than 100 milling and stockfeed businesses involved in the production and distribution of maize meal, flour, rice and stockfeed across the country.

"This application strikes at the heart of national food security," Musarara said in the court papers.

The association is seeking a declaration that SI 87 of 2025 is constitutionally invalid on grounds that it is "ultra vires multiple provisions of the constitution," "ultra vires the parent act," "grossly unreasonable" and was promulgated "contrary to the prescribed procedures."

The regulations introduced levies on imported grain and oilseed products, including wheat, maize, soya beans and soya meal.

According to GMAZ, importers are now required to pay levies of up to US$89.25 per metric tonne for wheat imports.

GMAZ argued that the levies would inevitably increase the cost of basic food commodities.

"If these levies are allowed to prosper, the inflationary effect shall be as follows," the application states, projecting that a 10kg bag of roller meal could rise from US$4.60 to about US$5.20, while a 50kg bag of bakers flour could increase from US$36 to US$41.

The association further warned that bread prices could climb beyond the long-maintained US$1 threshold.

"It will be foolhardy to think that the price of bread will not go up after imposing a 20% levy," GMAZ said.

The application also accused authorities of imposing levies without consulting affected stakeholders as required under the Agricultural Marketing Authority Act.

"Applicant's members are directly affected by the newly imposed levies, and were never consulted," the affidavit reads.

GMAZ said a January 2026 stakeholder conferen