No more cheap beer in Zim
2007-10-07 13:17
Special Report
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, accused of ethnic cleansing and bankrupting his country, has been appointed by the UN to become the new international envoy for tourism, a report says.
Harare - Beer-loving Zimbabweans' three-month old affair with cheap booze has come to an end as beer producers have hiked the price by 100%.
This comes after a call by central bank boss Gideon Gono earlier last week saying the troubled southern African country was now a nation of drunkards because of cheap booze.
Gono feared booze could wreck families as more and more people drank themselves to death.
Now, lagers, which were going for Z$70 000 a pint, is now Z$150 000. Quarts are now double the price.
The new prices are meant to restrict boozers from having one too many, according to the central bank.
But opaque beer, a traditional mixture of maize and sorghum could also be a favourate substitute among low-income earners, who cannot afford the new prices.
High alcohol constituted spirits have also proven to be a better substitute for other beer guzzlers.
Although Zimbabwe is in its eigth year of economic recession characterised by high inflation currently running close to 7 000% which has wiped off disposable incomes, a large number of the population consumes alcoholic beverages.
Delta Beverages, the only lager and beverage manufacturer in the country, had in the past tried to get the price of beer reviewed with no joy after President Robert Mugabe ordered prices of goods be reduced by 50%.
Zimbabweans have been enjoying near free beer that often was in short supply prompting devoted beer guzzlers to queue for the commodity.
In fact Delta, which is controlled by SABMiller, has been struggling to meet demand for beer.
- Fin24
- Finance24