Millers lay off 1,000

Zimbabwe's millers have laid off at least 1,000 workers out of a labour force of 1,400 following a production halt in protest over government price controls, the independent 'Financial Gazette' reported on Thursday. The millers closed their plants last week in a dispute over the government's decision to grant them only a 20 percent increase in the retail price of maize meal after the state-owned Grain Marketing Board had raised the price of maize grain by 88 percent. Industry minister Nathan Shamuyarira told the weekly that discussions were ongoing with the millers to end the maize meal shortage. But he said millers should find cheaper sources of maize. However, according to the newspaper, millers have complained that transport costs would make alternative maize sources unprofitable and that farmers had increased maize prices beyond the GMB's rate. Meanwhile, bakers have threatened to stop production if the government moves to control the price of bread. Shamuyarira said this week: "We are going to control the price of bread. We cannot allow it to just escalate."