Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
AN indigenous miller in Ndlovu area just outside Victoria Falls has implored Government to consistently supply subsidised grain to millers so as to ensure sustainable roller meal availability in the country.

Government introduced the subsidy on roller meal to cushion vulnerable groups against a tide of rising prices of maize and other inputs that kept pushing up manufacturing costs and retail prices.

Ndlovu Milling, established two years ago as a subsidiary of Gugu and Thandeka Enterprises, which has interests in transport and milling, is the only official miller in Hwange District after registering for the Government subsidised maize programme in December last year.

Company owner, Mr Martin Ndlovu, who is former Ndlovu councillor under Hwange Rural District Council, said the milling business has capacity to produce up 600 tonnes of roller meal per month and supply the whole of Hwange District if given the necessary support to access grain.

He said delays in availing grain to millers were hampering consistent roller meal supplies and causing unending queues in Victoria Falls and Hwange where demand for the commodity is high.

“Government’s idea of maize subsidy was very noble and should be complemented by consistent maize deliveries so that as millers we are able to supply the market. We have capacity to mill about 600 tonnes per month and if Government can give us this amount we can mitigate hunger in our district and ensure that people buy from indigenous shops closer to them than travelling to Hwange and Victoria Falls where they end up queuing thereby compromising social distancing guidelines in the face of Covid-19,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Located about 45km outside Victoria Falls, the miller supplies shops in the resort town, Hwange, Jambezi, Makwa, Dete and Kamativi. Millers sell to shops at $63 per 10kg bag while retailers are expected to sell the same product at $70.

After registering as a miller in December, Ndlovu Milling employed 15 people to stitch, package, load and operate the grinding mill. However, because of delays in maize deliveries to the Grain Marketing Board Hwange depot some workers have became redundant.

“I had been doing milling business using a different name since 2006 in Umguza before moving to my home area in Ndlovu when I became councillor in 2013. After meeting Government requirements such as tax clearance, vendor number and Agriculture Marketers Authority certificates, we employed 15 workers in December who we gave contracts.

“They have been getting their wages despite us having no subsidised grain, which is costly for us. This means the next time we receive grain we will have to employ new people and training them, buying new uniforms and getting medical clearance for them,” said Mr Ndlovu.

He bemoaned delays in processing payment for grain, deliveries and invoices as he appealed to authorities to expedite the processes. Mr Ndlovu said they last received 60 tonnes of maize on 19 March, which they milled in four days, producing 57 tonnes of roller meal in the process.

“We have a new grinding mill that is lying idle because we have no stocks for us to use it. We last got 60 tonnes on 19 March after requesting 300 tonnes. At least if we are given the amount of grain that we need we can manage to supply the whole district,” said Mr Ndlovu.

“Given the obtaining situation we have resorted to buying mealie meal from Bulawayo so that we are able to supply the district. We appeal to Government to consider the plight of Hwange when allocating grain since we have no stocks of our own,” added Mr Ndlovu.

Crop farming is limited in Hwange district because of poor soils and wildlife challenges among others.

Mr Ndlovu said besides delays in payment and deliveries, they had no problems with electricity as the mill was connected to the Victoria Falls Airport dedicated power line, which is exempted from load shedding. The business sources packaging from Bulawayo and markets the products on social media.

Mr Ndlovu says value addition was key in business as they do not lose any by-products but sell sweepers from grain to piggery and poultry farmers. — @ncubeleon.