THE public will soon access cheaper basic commodities at Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots throughout the country as the Government moves to mitigate the wanton price increases by unscrupulous businesspeople.

This was said by President Mnangagwa on his maiden radio interview with Capitalk 100 FM which was broadcast live on Friday evening. In recent months, the country has witnessed price increases by some businesspeople who are profiteering at the expense of the public.

“When we say the road we are on is tough, these are some of the tough things. These are the challenges that we have to surmount. There is an issue of basic commodities that we use every day. These had been going up each day and we called the businesspeople to discuss this and they agreed to reduce prices but it seems they have started again. So now the basic foods will be availed.

GMB has points throughout the country and now we will have our food there, the cost of cooking oil, flour, mealie-meal and other basics will now be subsidised,” said President Mnangagwa.

The President lamented businesses that were thriving on the hapless consumers but said this would come to an end as commodities would be available soon. He said some employers were short changing their employees by selling products in foreign currency and not awarding salaries in that same currency. President Mnangagwa said price controls were not going to work, but market forces should influence the prices of commodities.

“For the economy to grow we must not prescribe prices for goods, market forces must determine the prices, we need competition, we need more and more people in our commerce and industry,” he said.State media