Page 19 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 33
P. 19
Food Health
demand.
WHY IS SOUTH AFRICA
So, when Zimbabwe does not
purchase this maize, it reportedly IMPORTING GMO MAIZE
creates a crisis for these farmers,
requiring subsidies from the U.S. FROM THE U.S. WHEN
government, hence Kuda Tagwirei
was sanctioned for the import- THEY HAVE SURPLUS?
substituting command agriculture.
ZIMBABWE!
The source also claimed that some
of the Zim maize labeled as South
African, does not even originate
from South Africa but is instead
imported from the U.S., destined for
Zimbabwe. This has allegedly been maize is not sold to Zimbabwe at a discounted rate.
the case since the sanctions era, and Instead, it is priced at a premium, ranging between
thus the current shipment of maize $410 and $440 per ton. Millers in Zimbabwe are
to South Africa is likely headed to reportedly forced to purchase this GM maize from
Zimbabwe. a subsidiary recently formed by a prominent senior
executive in the milling industry.
But in bumper times, where does According to my source, when this milling executive
Zimbabwe send this GM maize was offered non-GMO maize from Brazil and
when neighbors like Zambia Tanzania by a U.S. commodity broker named Robert
outproduce Zimbabwe and prefer Barnes, he demanded the broker invoice him at $360
importing non-GMO maize from per ton and deposit a $40 per ton kickback into a
Tanzania? foreign bank account.
As I pondered this information, the Fearing potential money laundering and bribery
official asked a troubling question: charges under U.S. law, Barnes refused, and the deal
if the U.S. declared Zimbabwe a fell through. Other Zimbabwean millers who sought
threat to its security, foreign policy, to purchase the non-GMO maize were allegedly told
and economic interests in 2008, they could only buy GMO maize from the executive’s
and if many white South Africans company.
resent Zimbabweans for reclaiming
land from white farmers, why are Barnes then offered 60,000 tons per month of non-
these two entities seemingly eager GMO maize from Tanzania to various government-
to produce food specifically for affiliated institutions, after Tanzania saw a 15%
Zimbabwe? increase in its summer harvest. To his dismay, he was
informed that Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Agriculture
Even more unsettling is that this had banned the importation of maize from Tanzania,
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