MAJOR manufacturers and suppliers of key and popular brands in Zimbabwe are now demanding payment exclusively in US dollars for at least 22 commodities, industry players say.
This sets the stage for potential and immediate forced dollarisation in an economy where the vast majority of formerly employed workers earn a rapidly depreciating local currency.
Secretary for Finance and Economic Development, George Guvamatanga said the pricing indiscipline reflected greed and economically unreasonable tendencies of powerful monopolies.
Only on Monday, the Treasury boss revoked the duty free facility suspension provision it had extended to beverages giant Schweppes Zimbabwe’s subsidiary, Beitbridge Juicing Company, earlier this month for importation of tonnes of key inputs, oranges and grapefruit.
He said the recent withdrawal of fiscal privileges to Schweppes Zimbabwe was only the first of many to be revoked from other market players…
