Zimbabwe bread 'scarce as gold'

Many shops have had empty shelves since the price freeze

Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change has said that "bread is as scarce as gold" in the country.
"It is now clear that Zimbabwe's crisis has reached the tipping point," the MDC's spokesman, Nelson Chamisa, told the South African Press Association.

The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe says there has been a 30% rise in the cost of living for a family of six in the last month despite price freezes.

There have been acute food shortages since the policy was imposed in June.

Businesses were ordered to slash some products by at least 50% or freeze prices for items such as bread and milk.

Zimbabwe's annual inflation is nearly 8,000% - the highest in the world.

The latest CCZ inflation figures, published in Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper, also show a 222% rise in the cost of the staple maize meal.

Meanwhile, news reports on the ZimOnline website say the call by Central Bank governor Gideon Gono to stop farm invasions, blamed for Zimbabwe's economic downturn, continues to be ignored.

Much of Zimbabwe relies on food imports and handouts from international humanitarian groups because of the failure to maintain production on farms.