Superior Milling Reduces Mealie Meal Price

Superior Milling has reduced its mealie meal price by three percent in all its outlets operating out of the urban areas in response to the fuel prices reduction.
Company managing director Peter Cottan announced that the mealie meal prices in depots outside urban areas had been reduced from K69 to K67, adding that this was meant to help people get value for their money.
Mr Cottan was speaking during the launch of the 48th Superior Milling sales depot in Sesheke district of Western Province, bringing the number of depots in the province to four.
But the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) has said that its members will not reduce mealie meal prices anytime soon despite the reduction of fuel prices by the Government.
MAZ president Allan Sakala said as long as transporters were not reducing their transportation charges, the price of mealie meal would continue to escalate.Mr Sakala said the reduction in mealie meal prices would only be considered if all the stakeholders involved sat down to discuss ways of reducing costs.
He said the cost of transporting mealie meal was still high, forcing the price of the commodity to remain high despite the reduction of fuel prices which was supposed to result into a general reduction in prices of goods and services.
“The reduction of mealie meal prices can only be considered if there is a discussion between transporters and Government because the cost of transporting the commodity has not reduced,” Mr Sakala said.
The price of crude oil on the international market has dropped significantly during the last half of the year on account of oversupply originating from international stock build-up from the steady increase in fuel self-sufficiency.
The slump in crude oil prices on the international market was expected to translate into real and meaningful reductions on the local markets to benefit the ordinary consumers.