Zimbabwe’s Grain Marketing Board ran out of wheat last week, with the impact likely to be felt by bakers this week.

Reports from Zimbabwe suggest the Board had not supplied millers with wheat for the whole of last week, the result of which was that millers could not supply bakers with flour.

Last week the government increased the official price of a loaf of bread from Z$22,000 to Z$30,000 in a bid to slow consumption.

Inflation in Zimbabwe is currently running at around 4,500%, with a loaf of bread costing around 50 times more - in cash terms - than it did a year ago.

On June 26, authorities ordered price cuts, often of more than 50%, on goods and services, which led to panic buying.

Bread has disappeared from most outlets with long queues forming in supermarkets, which are baking limited quantities.

The price of some other basics has also been hiked up, including the staple maize meal. Maize-meal, which has become scarce, is now sold at Z$50,000 for a 10kg packet, up from Z$41,500.