Zimbabwe. DEAD HAND ON THE TILLER AS TROUBLED WATERS DEEPEN.

(From Financial Mail)

Byline: Tony Hawkins

Zimbabwe DEAD HAND ON THE TILLER AS TROUBLED WATERS DEEPEN Politically stuck state tries to borrow against next tobacco crop On all fronts, the Zimbabwe crisis is spiralling out of control. The headlines, even in the carefully massaged state media, tell the story: Junior doctors at state hospitals are on strike, demanding a 3000% pay hike to Z$30m/year (US$36000); Tobacco production in 2003 halved to 80m kg, down by two-thirds from the peak of more than 230m kg in 2000; Government is trying to borrow US$30m offshore, pledged against next year's tobacco earnings, to finance urgent imports of maize seed needed for the 2003/2004 crop. Government itself says only 32000t of seed is available, a shortfall of 56000t. The use of prospective tobacco earnings, which will fall sharply again next year, to fund urgent imports underlines the severity of the currency crisis; In its latest report …