Posted on 10/01/2007 7:08:53 PM PDT by george76
Harare admits land reform has failed as the deadline passes for the last white farmers to leave their land.
Zimbabwe's bakeries have shut and supermarkets have warned there will be no bread for the foreseeable future as the government admitted that wheat production had collapsed following the seizure of white-owned farms.
The agricultural ministry announcement that the wheat harvest is only about a third of what is required, and that imports are held up by lack of hard currency, came as a deadline passed today for the last white farmers to leave their land or face prosecution for trespass.
The maize harvest is expected to be equally dire and price controls to contain hyperinflation have emptied the stores of most other foodstuffs...
Last week, the government said it plans to import 100,000 tonnes of wheat but acknowledged that a shipment of 35,000 tonnes was held up in Mozambique because of a shortage of hard currency to pay for it.
The agriculture minister, Rugare Gumbo, has blamed the food shortages on black farmers who have taken over formerly white-owned land.
"I am painfully aware of the widespread theft of stock, farm produce, irrigation equipment and the general vandalism of infrastructure by our new farmers," ...
"I am disappointed that our new farmers have proved to be failures since the start of the land reform programme in 2000..."
The ministry of agriculture has also blamed electricity shortages...
The power shortages are likely to continue. Mozambique has reduced electricity supplies to Zimbabwe because of a $35m... unpaid bill...
Zimbabwe, once the world's second largest exporter of tobacco, has also seen production of its main cash crop nosedive...
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Africa pinglist ping.
And here it comes.....
If not a '[you] told them so' attitude, it is still very petty to crow over and over that 'this is the consequence of kicking out 'whitey''.
If the European descended Zimbabweans remained in power, and if they kept control over most of Zimbabwe's arable land, Zimbabweans might (probably) not be starving en masse today. Yet it is disgusting that on so many of these Zimbabwe threads that the main trust of so many posts is that the European descended Zimbabweans should not have be expelled from power rather than it is bad that people are starving to death, are being oppressed by a tyrannical regime, and their country is descending toward chaos.
If the European descended Zimbabweans remained in power, Zimbabweans might (probably) not be starving en masse today.....Rhodesians would NOT be starving en masse today. Fixed it for you.
-
They have everything from Octopus to Steak to varieties of bread, the shelves are packed, a bit pricey at 35,000 a pound for shrimp.
Zimbabwe also is a fascinating look into inflationary pressure and social upheaval, so far, not too much upheaval yet, but a tipping point will be reached sooner or later.
And Zimbabwe is also a good example of what happens when Race becomes the sole criteria for a Govt’s existence, Zimbabwe is sort of the radical left’s paradise, it’s what Detroit would be if it were a state.
Ragnar Danneskjold, your ship is ready.
They removed people from their property, by murder and rape. It was genocide, and nobody in the world cared. There are innocents in Zimbabwe, and I hope they escape.
Frankly until the people kill and eat Mugabe, I don’t have any reason to care. When that happens I will have a reason to cheer.
The residents of Detroit are obese from government hand-outs. Detroit would be just like Zimbabwe if the residents had to work for food.
Not a surprise. I wonder where that Cathy Buckle is, who used to write a column from Zim? Was it Clive who used to post her stuff?
(I'm dismayed that there are really people in this world who are so stupid that they don't understand this! Do you have to be a flippin' moron to be a Socialist/Communist?)
Sounds tasty. Will have to try them!
Your arrogance is breathtaking.
And whose fault is it that the nation of Zimbabwe is under a tyrranical regime and descending into chaos?
(Other than idiots like Carter and other similar commie-pinko-liberal scum, who supported the commie terrorists against Rhodesia?)
I hope like heck she isn’t in Zimbabwe any more.
Under communism, the elites always have excellent shopping opportunites, housing...
The problem is with the other 95 percent.
Zimbabwe is an excellent example of the Jimmy Carter theories. It may sound great to him and the New York Times, but it will never work.
It is sad that this lesson has to be re-learned so often.
America may have another learning experience soon if Hillarty care returns.
Darn. Beat me to it.
” Do you have to be a flippin’ moron to be a Socialist/Communist? “
Yes...unless one is part of the elite 5 percent.
What's funny is, even most of the "elite" in an authoritarian Socialist/Communist regime don't have the standard of living that middle-class Americans enjoy. As a result of Socialism, the whole country lacks. Even the top is lower than it could be.
Liberty and free-market economics make everyone more wealthy.
“I am painfully aware of the widespread theft of stock, farm produce, irrigation equipment and the general vandalism of infrastructure by our new farmers,” he said.
Classic.”
There is a reason why there are EMPLOYERS and EMPLOYEEEES.
Some people can be self employed- which is exactly what a farmer/rancher is, and why some people can barely hold a job.
It's almost as though savagery might not be a sound basis for an economy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.