Zimbabwe court upholds govt grain import levy framework, rejects GMAZ challenge

The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has failed in its bid to urgently halt the government’s controversial grain import levy framework, which millers argue will increase the cost of staple foods, fuel inflation and threaten national food security.

Led by chairman Tafadzwa Musarara, GMAZ challenged Statutory Instrument 87 of 2025, arguing that the levies were unconstitutional, unlawfully introduced and imposed without adequate consultation.

The association also opposed provisions requiring processors to source increasing quantities of grain locally, saying Zimbabwe’s domestic production cannot meet national demand and that imports remain essential to cover shortages.

However, the High Court Commercial Division in Harare struck the matter off the urgent roll, allowing government to continue implementing the levy framework backed by Treasury and several agricultural stakeholders.

Justice Lucy Mungwari ruled under case number HCH435/26 that the application did not meet the threshold for urgency and ordered that it be removed from the urgent roll.

Named as respondents in the case were the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA), the Ministers of Agriculture, Finance, Justice, and Industry and Commerce, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat), and the Attorney General.

In its court papers, GMAZ argued that the levies would raise the cost of key food products, including mealie meal, flour and bread, at a time when consumers are already facing economic pressures.

The association also challenged the creation of what it described as an unlawful Agricultural Revolving Fund and accused authorities of abusing administrative powers by requiring levy payments before import permits are issued.

GMAZ also challenged provisions requiring millers to source increasing quantities of grain locally, arguing that domestic production remains insufficient to satisfy national demand and that imports are necessary to bridge supply gaps.

However, Justice Mungwari’s ruling means the levy framework remains in force while any further legal challenges proceed through the normal court process.

The decision is expected to be welcomed by government, which has consistently defended the policy as a strategic intervention aimed at supporting local farmers, financing irrigation infrastructure and reducing dependence on imported grain.

Correspondence from the Ministry of Finance indicates that authorities intend to continue implementing the levy regime as part of revised grain marketing arrangements for the 2025/26 summer agricultural season.

In a letter dated April 30, 2026, Finance Secretary George Guvamatanga reaffirmed Treasury’s support for the framework, describing it as a key component of broader efforts to strengthen domestic agricultural production and promote sector stability.

Treasury has argued that price disparities between imported grain and locally produced commodities negatively affect local producers, import substitution efforts and overall macroeconomic stability.

Government has designated the Agricultural Marketing Authority as the collecting agent for the levies, with revenue earmarked for farmer payments through the Grain Marketing Board and irrigation development programmes targeting smallholder farmers.

Legal analysts say government is relying on provisions of the Agricultural Marketing Authority Act, which provides for the collection of levies and the administration of funds to support agricultural development and food security initiatives.

According to experts familiar with the legislation, the Act authorises the imposition and collection of levies on producers, buyers and processors of agricultural products and empowers authorities to implement measures designed to stabilise and develop the agricultural sector.

Supporters of the framework argue that the levy forms part of wider localisation and import substitution policies intended to strengthen domestic grain production, support farmers and improve irrigation infrastructure.

The policy has received backing from several farmer organisations and indigenous millers who contend that reducing reliance on imports is essential for building sustainable local production systems.

Government officials say approximately US$5.7 million has already been collected through the levy framework, with some of the funds reportedly channelled towards irrigation projects in various provinces.

Authorities maintain that the measures are necessary to reduce Zimbabwe’s import bill and strengthen agricultural resilience in the face of anticipated climate-related challenges.

In April, Jacob Mudenda warned that the country’s growing dependence on imports was placing increasing pressure on industrial development and foreign currency reserves.

Mudenda said Zimbabwe’s import bill had risen from US$4.5 billion in 2019 to a projected US$10 billion in 2026, arguing that continued reliance on imported goods threatened local industry and domestic production.

Following the ruling, the Indigenous Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (IGMAZ) welcomed the court’s decision, describing it as an important victory for local agriculture and industrial development.

In a statement issued after the judgment, IGMAZ said the ruling helped safeguard the gains of the Land Reform Programme while advancing Zimbabwe’s food security and industrialisation objectives.

The association added that the grain levy framework under SI 87 of 2025 remains an important policy tool for protecting indigenous farmers, financing irrigation infrastructure and reducing the country’s dependence on imported grain.