THE Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), the umbrella body for major manufacturers in the country, said the private sector will hike food prices this week as the government has failed to provide a date to approve the increases. CZI official Eddie Cross said talks between government and the private sector ended in a stalemate last week and that flour millers went ahead on Monday to unilaterally increase the wholesale price of flour by more than 15%. The unilateral increase marks the first indications of cracks in the government’s uneasy alliance with the private sector, forged last year to keep a lid on galloping prices of goods and services after violent food riots shook the nation. Six people were killed in the riots.