THE blame game regarding rising mealie meal prices should be brought to an end by implementing measures that address the problem.

Since the prices took the upward turn, we have had various explanations from different players, with each blaming the other for the problem.

Initially, the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) accused traders of pegging retail prices unrealistically high when wholesale prices did not reflect that.

MAZ said its wholesale prices did not warrant the prices that the traders were charging and even threatened not to supply retailers who exploited consumers.

The traders, on the other hand, insisted that mealie meal prices were determined by wholesale prices which would only be reduced if and when millers cut prices.

Then the millers came up with another explanation - that the rising prices were a result of a maize shortage because, contrary to earlier Government projections that Zambia would have a maize surplus exceeding 100,000 tonnes, the country actually had a deficit.

But the Government dismissed this notion and said the millers were actually hoarding the maize.

Now, the Zambia Cooperatives Federation and small-scale farmers have accused the millers of exploiting consumers after buying the maize cheaply.

On the other hand, the millers insist that the price rise has been triggered by a maize shortage.

Whatever the reason for the high prices, we feel this debate is not assisting consumers in any way. We actually smell something fishy from mealie meal players and implore the Government to quickly move in and bring the matter to rest.

Rather than continue finger-pointing, the Government should quickly step in with measures that will bring down and stabilise the prices of mealie meal.

Government has already hinted that it would allow GMO-free maize imports to flood the market and help stabilise the prices. We think this must be done as a matter of urgency.

Much as Zambia believes in the play of market forces to determine prices, the question of mealie meal is a matter of life and death, which cannot be left to the market alone.

People need affordable mealie meal and this can only be guaranteed by deliberately offloading maize onto the market.

Of course, the Government first wants to undertake a maize audit to establish the actual deficit, but we feel that imports should be let to flow in as a matter of urgency.

The Food Reserve Agency should also play its role by releasing some of its stocks to check the rising prices.