18 September 2007, ... UK Zimbabwean inflation under 7,000%
President Mugabe has imposed a price-control programme ..
Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate slowed in August to 6,592.8% from July's record of 7,634.8%, according to the Central Statistical Office (CSO). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7001135.stm
23 January 2008 .. Source: The Scotsman
Children starve as Zimbabwe's grain goes to make luxury dog food By Jane Fields In Harare
THE state-run grain company in Zimbabwe has turned to making luxury dog food, while up to four million of the country's people starve.
Doggy's Delight is a new product from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), the only firm to which farmers are allowed to sell their wheat and maize.
It is supposed to supply millers with grain for flour to make bread. But, in addition to making dog food, the company has announced that it will focus on poultry feeds this year.
Recent figures show Zimbabwe has a 360,000-tonne shortfall of maize – used to make the staple mealie-meal – and a 255,000-tonne wheat shortfall.
That means more than a third of Zimbabweans are likely to need food aid in the run-up to presidential and parliamentary elections in March, according to aid agencies.
With probably less than ten weeks to go before the polls, there are fears Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party will once again offer food for votes – the government has started secretly importing food from Malawi.
The GMB is delighted with the success of Doggy's Delight, a pre-cooked, high-protein instant dog meal. "Production of dog food by the GMB is now on full throttle," said the company nutritionist, William Ndindana.
Five tonnes of Doggy's Delight are being produced every day, according to reports. But Zimbabwe's hungry hounds won't get much of a taste of the new product, which is primarily intended for the export market.
Such exports earn foreign currency – vital for the government, which is grappling with the highest inflation rate in the world at nearly 8,000 per cent.
Shortages of basics following Mr Mugabe's disastrous price blitz in July and the soaring cost of imported goods mean struggling Zimbabweans are finding it hard enough to feed themselves, let alone their animals. Ten kilos of regular dog biscuits cost about 35 million Zimbabwe dollars (£583 at the official rate of exchange) – more than a teacher's monthly salary.
The cash squeeze appears to have forced many people to turn household pets out into the streets. Packs of starving dogs now roam residential suburbs.
At the height of meat shortages last year, reports from the east of the country said a local man had even tried eating dog, which is taboo in Zimbabwe.
To make matters even worse for the residents of Harare and other Zimbabwean cities, they have been hit by the second major power cut in three days.
The power went off on Monday evening and had still not returned yesterday afternoon.
Traffic lights were not working in most of Harare; water supplies were cut; telephone lines down, and radio transmission was interrupted.
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