Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter
THE Competition and Tariff Commission has launched a probe into the importation of pasta products following an application for a safeguard investigation by National Foods Limited, the only producer of pasta products in the country.
The food company argues that imports are threatening the viability of the local industry.
The CTC announced the probe under General Notice 1787 of 2026, cited as the Notice of Initiation of a Safeguard Investigation into Increased Imports of Pasta Products into Zimbabwe, published in the Government Gazette last Friday.
“The CTC has received and accepted an application for remedial action in the form of a safeguard measure against increased imports of pasta products into Zimbabwe.
“The application was lodged by National Foods Limited (‘the applicant’), the sole known domestic producer of pasta products in Zimbabwe.
“The applicant alleges that pasta products are being imported into Zimbabwe in such increased quantities, both in absolute terms and relative to domestic production, and under such conditions as to cause serious injury to the domestic industry producing like or directly competitive products,” the CTC said in the notice.
The CTC added that, following a preliminary assessment of the application and supporting evidence in accordance with Section 11(1) of the Competition (Safeguards) (Investigation) Regulations, 2006 (Statutory Instrument 217 of 2006) (“the Safeguard Regulations”), the Commission considered that the application contained sufficient evidence to justify the initiation of a safeguard investigation.
“The preliminary assessment considered, inter alia, evidence concerning unforeseen developments, the effect of obligations incurred by Zimbabwe under GATT 1994, increased imports, serious injury to the domestic industry and a causal link between the increased imports and the alleged injury.
“Accordingly, pursuant to Section 12(1) of the Safeguard Regulations and Article 12 of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, the Commission hereby gives notice of the initiation of a safeguard investigation into increased imports of pasta products into Zimbabwe.
“The application was lodged by National Foods Limited, which is currently the sole known domestic producer of pasta products in Zimbabwe,” the notice further states.
National Foods commenced domestic production of pasta products in February 2024.
The CTC noted that, prior to commencing domestic production, the applicant participated in the Zimbabwean pasta market through the importation of pasta products.
Last year, President Mnangagwa commissioned National Foods’ US$6 million pasta plant, which has a production capacity of 1 200 tonnes per month.
“The commencement of domestic production, therefore, represented a transition from importing to domestic manufacturing rather than the entry of the applicant into the pasta market as a new participant.
“Based on the information available to the Commission, the applicant constitutes the domestic industry for the purposes of this investigation within the meaning of Section 3 of the Safeguard Regulations,” the CTC added in the General Notice.
According to the notice, the investigation should be completed within six months in accordance with Section 14 of the Safeguard Regulations and may only be extended once, for a period of up to two months.
Furthermore, all participating interested parties will be allowed to submit written evidence, arguments and responses to submissions made by other interested parties, including their views on whether the application of a safeguard measure would be in the public interest.
Source: Local pasta industry seeks import safeguards – herald
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