July 20, 2008	Sunday	Rajab 16, 1429

HARARE, July 19: Zimbabwe’s central bank would introduce new 100-billion Zimbabwe dollar notes on Monday as part of a desperate fight against spiralling hyperinflation, the bank said.

Zimbabweans are suffering chronic shortages of meat, maize, fuel and other basic commodities due to the collapse of the once prosperous economy.

Central bank Governor Gideon Gono announced on Wednesday that inflation had surpassed 2.2 million per cent, though some economists put it much higher.

In a notice in the Herald newspaper on Saturday, Gono said the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe would introduce 100 billion dollar agro-cheques (notes) to help consumers who currently need to carry large wads of cash even for simple transactions. “This new $100 billion special agro-cheque will go into circulation on Monday,” the notice said.—Reuters