Zimbabwe short of banknotes

Banks are issuing smaller notes

The Zimbabwe government can no longer afford to pay for the ink and special paper needed to print the local currency according to the state-controlled Herald Newspaper.

It said the government had no foreign currency to pay for the materials, which have to be imported.

Local money will now be added to the long list of shortages in the country.

Long queues of people waiting outside banks to withdraw cash are already a familiar sight in the capital, Harare.

This petrol station has had no fuel for a week

The shortage of banknotes will add to the frustrations for people who are already coping with shortages of fuel and basic commodities.

The newspaper report said banks had resorted to issuing the small 100 and 50 Zimbabwe dollar bills (worth 12 US cents and six US cents).

But that is unlikely to help in a country where inflation stands at 228% and prices increase weekly.