ARCHI VFORRESno. 3

International Development Research Centre

MAN USCRI PT REPORTS

SORGHUM MILLING A NEWAGRO-INDUSTRY FOR BOTSWANA

R.S. Forrest and G. Yaciuk

November 1980

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BBL/OTHÈQUE DU

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IDRC-MR30

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The International Development Research Centre is a public corporationcreated by the Parliament of Canada in 1970 to support research designed toadapt science and technology to the needs of developing countries. TheCentre's activity is concentrated in five sectors: agriculture, food and nutritionsciences; health sciences; information sciences; social sciences; andcommunications. IDRC is financed solely by the Govertunent of Canada; itspolicies, however, are set by an international Board of Governors. TheCentre's headquarters are in Ottawa, Canada. Regional offices are located inAfrica, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

IDRC Manuscript ReportsThis series includes meeting documents, internal reports, and preliminarytechnical documents that may later form the basis of a formal publication.Manuscript Reports are given a small distribution to a highly specializedaudience.

IDRC-MR30

SORGHUM MILLING - A NEW AGRO-INDUSTRY FOR BOTSWANA

By R.S. Forrest

and

G. Yaciuk

Presented at a Seminar "Small and Medium ScaleAgro-Industries and Rural Development", heldat the Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam,November 13 - 14, 1980.

ro,

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. THE NEED FOR A SORGHUM MILL

Introduction to BotswanaThe Need for a Sorghum Milling Technologyin Botswana

II. COMMERCIAL MILLING - PITSANE MILL

- Consumer.SurveyInstallation - EquipmentOperationManagementIntroducing the mill to the Community

III. SERVICE MILLING - KANYE MILL

DevelopmentConsumer surveyOperation

- Management

IV. SERVICE/COMMERCIAL MILLING - GABANE MILL

IntroduttionService MillingCommercial MillingManagement

s

I. THE NEED FOR A SORGHUM MILL

Botswana, formerly the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland

is a country of dramatic contrasts. Roughly two-thirds of thecountry consists of the sparsely populated Kalahari Desert,

while the remaining one-third to the east and northeast, is the

populated and fertile agricultural area. Botswana is a semi-arid country, having a continental climate, where temperatures

seldom exceed 400C during the summer and often drop below

0°C during the winter. Over half of its 750,000 people Five

in villages of 1,000 or more and 82% are engaged in agriculture.

These people generally divide their time between living in the

village and at their land holdings, where they try to attain

self-sufficiency through production of sorghum, (their preferred

food), maize, millet and cowpeas and cattle.

Over the five-year period, 1970 to 1974, total production

of grain in Botswana averaged 54,000 tonnes per annum of which85% was sorghum. Sorghum tends to be more drought-resistant

than maize and is the crop which can be grown most reliablyunder Botswana conditions. Some 80% of the domestic maize

production comes from the Barolong Farms area which is in the

southeastern corner of Botswana, where rainfall and soil conditionsare more favourable. Both sorghum and maize are normally consumedin the form of meal which is cooked into a porridge; sorghum is

also widely used in the making of traditional beer. Over the

last two decades there has been a strong shift away from sorghumin favour of maize consumption. Thus, whereas in the period

1955 to 1960, the ratio of sorghum consumption to maize

consumption was 80% to 20%, it is presently estimated at 35% to 65%.

The major reason for this change in consumption patterns

is believed to be the ready availability of industrially-milled,

prepackaged maize meal. Although Botswana has an industrial-scale

maize mill, this can only meet some 75% of the domestic demand

and has to rely to a large extent on imported maize for itsthroughput. The balance of the domestic demand for maize mealis met directly by imports of the finished product, mainly fromSouth Africa, (10,000 tonnes in 1978).

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By contrast, there was no suitable industrially-milled

sorghum meal available on the Botswana market. The traditional

milling of sorghum is a lengthy and complicated process consisting

of several stages. These include dampening the grain, pounding

it in a mortar with a pestle to loosen the pericarp or husk,

winnowing to remove the husks; the process being repeated several

times before finally the dehusked grain is pounded into the

desired fineness of meal. The resulting sorghum meal has to

be consumed fairly quickly before fermentation and off-flavours

set in due to the high moisture content as a result of dampening.

When we compare this time-consuming and labour-intensive process

with the ready availability of prepackaged maize meal having

a fairly prolonged shelf life, it is easy to understand why

with increased urbanisation and ever-rising proportion of the

population engaging in the cash economy, it is expected that

the trend towards machine-processed meal will continue to increase.

Since South African prices for maize had been lower

than those for sorghum, there had been no incentive to develop

a sorghum milling technology that could produce a product

suitable for human consumption. The Government of Botswana

expressed keen interest in the sorghum milling technologies

developed in West Africa by IDRC-funded projects and in adapting

them to Botswana conditions. The availability of an acceptable

prepackaged sorghum meal, competitive with existing maize meals,

would hopefully reduce the country's increasing reliance on

imported grain, and stimulate the production of sorghum within Botswana.

II. COMMERCIAL MILLING - PITSANE MILL

Thus, in 1975, the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board

(BAMB) responsible for grain marketing in the country, requested

IDRC assistance in the development of a pilot commercial mill

capable of dehulling and milling sorghum. At that time, BAMB had

only a few large grain storage depots along rail lines. In an

attempt to ensure a continuous supply of sorghum to the mill, the

town of Pitsane, where the largest of these grain depots was situated,

was chosen as the site for the mill.

A consumer preference study was conducted by the IDRC-

supplied advisors, who remained with the project until June, 1978.

Its purpose was to provide information on sorghum acquisition

and consumption patterns at that time and those anticipated once

a sorghum flour became available, and to determine the colour

and texture of sorghum flour preferred.

The initial study was conducted in the Southeastern

District of Botswana. The four most heavily populated areas

in the district were chosen. The total sampling (n=343) represents

two per cent of the population of the district, assuming that

each person interviewed represents one dwelling. Upon completion

of this portion of the study, it was decided to apply the

questionnaire outside the district, to indicate if tribal

affiliation would have any influence on consumer preference.

In each village, the Chief was approached and his

permission obtained before proceeding. The study was carried

out with the assistance of a Botswana translator, who asked

the questions, while the advisors recorded the answers. The

questionnaire used is attached as Appendix I.

Since the questions were directed mainly to Botswana

women with families, locations were chosen where it would be

most likely to find these people. Thus, interviews were conducted

at water sources, baby clinics, shopping areas, and train stations.

These areas proved very satisfactory, as people tended to have

time and were willing to answer the questions.

The results of the study included:

Of the people interviewed, 96% indicated they ate sorghum.

Of this number, 89% ate sorghum daily, while the other

11% ate sorghum at least thrice weekly.

Sorghum is eaten primarily as porridge (50-60%), while

the remainder is often consumed as beer.

90% of those interviewed indicated that they consumed

bread or what flour products.

Although the majority of those interviewed said that

colour does not affect the taste, when pressed to make

a choice, 62% preferred white flour.

53% indicated their preference for a coarse

flour (or meal).

52'/, indicated a willingness to purchase sorghum meal if it

were available.

Most people were willing to pay as much or even

slightly more for milled sorghum as they were for

imported maize meal.

In summary, the survey reinforced the concept that sorghum is

a popular cereal. The shift from a rural society to an urban one is a

new phenomenon in Botswana. In most instances, the people in towns are

first generation urban dwellers and still retain a strong affinity for

village ways and traditional dietary habits. For this reason, most

people in Botswana regard sorghum porridge as "their food" (indigenous)

and prefer it over maize or meal.

The survey also indicated that the Primary reason for the shift

away from sorghum consumption in favour of maize, and to a smaller extent,

wheat, was that no industrially produced sorghum meal was available.

It seemed obvious that if the pilot mill were able to produce

sorghum meal of the preferred texture, at a price comparable to that

of maize meal, the consumer demand was there.

Following the survey, a cross check was made against home-dehulled

samples. Several women were selected and given grain and requested to

process it as they would for making porridge. The samples were analysed

to determine the various particle sizes. The results indicated a wide

range of variation in the composition of the samples. The recommended

texture from the consumer study fell within this range. The percentage

of bran removed from the grain also was used to indicate the degree of

decortication required.

The Pilot mill consisted of two PRL dehullers, which were developed

for an IDRC-supported project in Nigeria, that were driven by a 25 hp Lister

diesel. These dehullers were of the abrasive type, using standard 27 cm

carborundum stones rotating in a 92 cm long barrel.

The dehullers operated on a continuous-flow system

and were capable of decorticating 4 to 5 metric tonnes of good

quality grains per workday. The resulting bran was drawn off

by fans and collected directly from the cyclones into jute sacks.

The extraction rate, when working with locally produced sorghums,

varied between 78-82%, depending upon the grain.

A hammermill operated by a second 25 hp engine pulverized

the grain. The hammermill and a sifter were also driven by a

25 hp Lister diesel engine. An electric generator connected to

the hammermill engine provided the energy for the electrical

equipment (weigher/bagger, bag sealer, air compressor, and

sewing machine).

The meal was moved by hand from the collection point

below the hammermill cyclone into the hopper on the automatic

weighing machine. Compressed air allowed a drop system to

operate which delivered a regulated amount of meal into its

appropriate bag. Based on the survey findings, the meal was

packaged in 2.5 kg plastic, 5 kg and 12.5 kg cotton sacks as

well as 60 kg jute sacks. The bags were printed with the BAMB

logo with the name of "Bopi Jwa Mabele" printed in Setswana,

(the Botswana language).

The plastic bags were sealed on a pedal-operated

industrial sealer. The plastic was useful in the initial start-up

to allow the product to be visually inspected by the consumer.

The plastic bags require additional time and care when handling,

and were eliminated once the acceptability of the product was ensured.

The cotton sacks were closed by a small electric sewing

machine. These bags, though relatively expensive, provided a

sturdy container for the meal and provided ease in handling.

The mill began operation on November 1, 1977 and during

the first month operated a total of 12 days, processing 31 tonnes

of sorghum into 25 tonnes of flour and 6 tonnes of bran. A total

of nine persons were required to operate the mill including the

manager, (whose function was mainly supervisory), and the miller, who

doubled as the mechanic.

7

During the first month of operation all of BAMB's store

of locally-purchased sorghum was used up. This, coupled with

a poor harvest in 1977, started the price of grain sorghum moving

up from 0.70 pula/kg through to 0.85 pula/kg to a final figure

of 1.21 pula/kg or 1.57 U.S. Dollars by the first of December.

This shortage of sorghum was more than an economic problem as

the varieties of sorghum that are locally-produced are the ones

that produce the preferred food. They are white sorghum with

a hard flinty endosperm and they can be readily processed

to the degree required for consumer acceptance with an extraction

rate of 85-90%.

TABLE 1. EXTRACTION RATES OF LCCAL SORGHUMS

.

'vt'hite (incl. mixed reds)85-90% extraction rate

,

High Tannin Varieties75-80% extraction rate

.

.

.dehulled

:

grain bran.

.. 7.5-8 2.5-2

' 15-16 5-4

' 22.5-24 7.5-6

. L. 30-32 10-8

:o : 37.5-40 12.5-10

. . 45-48 15-12

:.. 52.5-56 17.5-14

- 60-64 20-16

67.5-72 22.5-18

ei tsI ¡s 75-80 25-20iles MP-S.A....Tr -..a :VV.- a lb' "." **V

As can be seen from Table 1, when working with other varieties ofsorghum, the extraction rate to obtain a consumer-acceptable productvaries. Even then, the end product, although acceptable, is not aspreferred as that from the locally-grown white sorghums. It was necessaryfirst to process the red variety at the lower extraction rate indicatedand, finally, to rely on hybrids brought in by rail from the larger farmsin South Africa at 1.21 pula/kg with an extraction rate of 75-80%.

The need to bring in sorghum from South Africa partly negated thepurpose of establishing the mill. However, we found ourselves in a'chicken and egg' situation. Without the mill there was a small demandfor sorghum and therefore BAMB had no reason to provide much in the way ofincentives to the farmers to produce sorghum in excess of their own needsand for local markets. The question was, which to do first? To establisha market or to establish incentives and create a surplus. In this case,the market was the first one to be established. Recent reports from BAMBindicate that in 1980, their local purchases of sorghum will exceed therequirements of the mill. This took nearly three years to accomplish.

During 1977, the mill processed 85 tonnes of grain sorghumproducing approximately 68 tonnes of flour, which sold readily. However,the by-product -- slightly more than 15 tonnes of bran -- presented anotherproblem. Traditionally, the bran was used as animal feed or for brewingbeer. With traditional processing, only small quantities of bran wereavailable at a time and were usually used by the consumer/producer. Whilethe flour was marketed through the system that had been established forselling the imported maize products, no market existed to handle thebran. Therefore, while on paper, the mill was a financial success --this can be seen by the monthly cost and return report for December, 1977 --it was only a financial success if the bran could be sold at a reasonableprice not only given a value as was done in the report. Although BAMBwas able to dispose of the initial production of bran through largelivestock enterprises, it soon became evident that once the mill reachedcapacity, the volume of bran would exceed a tonne a day and could not beabsorbed in this way. As a solution BAMB developed a feed mill toincorporate the bran from the mill in a packaged poultry feed and distributedit through its depots. This feed mill has operated since mid-1978 andis another financial success story for BAMB.

To enable efficient stock and cash control a simple

record system was adopted. Each day, the operator of the mill

recorded the number of sacks of grain processed. At the end of

the day, the mill manager recorded the meal processed and the

extraction rate. This record also had space allocated to record

both labour hours and other expenses incurred during the day.

(Appendix 2).

Each day, stock sales were counted and recorded on the

summary sheet. This provided a running inventory and a daily

record, indicating to the management any irregularities that might

occur. It also simplified the weekly inventory (Appendix 3).

At the end of the week, inputs and outputs were totaled

from the weekly summary and recorded on the inventory. This

provided an accurate picture of the mill's weekly performance to

be transferred to the BAMB Head Office. It was also useful to

assist in ordering necessary supplies. (Appendix 4).

At the end of each month, a comprehensive analysis of

fixed and variable costs was summarized on a Month End Cost and

Returns Sheet. This data was compiled from the Weekly Inventories

for that month and from constant, recurring cost figures.

This provided an accurate picture of the mill's financial situation

and performance. (Appendix 5).

The location in Pitsane, the commercial centre for the

Barolong farms, provided the mill with many advantages. There

is a constant flow of farmers in and out of the BAMB depot

and many of them had the opportunity to see the mill being

constructed and to discuss the mill techniques.

Once the mill was ready to go into commercial production,

one of the mill staff visited a number of villages around Pitsane.

She took with her samples of the meal as well as pictures, and

- 10 -

discussed the mill and its products with the people. She also hadsome samples with her for sale if people wished to purchase. It was

explained the mill was now ready to begin supplying sorghum meal tothe shops and the people would be able to purchase it there in the

future.

People were also encouraged to visit the mill once it was inoperation and a number of groups including teachers and agriculturalclasses from Gaborone, as well as many village people and officialsvisited at various times.

Shortly after the mill began operating, the Botswana Councilof Women held a conference in Good Hope, a village near Pitsane. Theparticipants visited the mill and the BAMB depot as part of a fieldtrip. This group included the President's wife, Lady Khama, and 400women from across the country.

The principle by which the machinery operates was explainedfollowed by a demonstration. On display was a number of products producedby combining wheat flour with sorghum meal. There was also a display ofthe types of flour textures the mill was capable of producing and again,the women were encouraged to choose the one they preferred. This proveda good opportunity for people from across the country to see the mill andlearn of its operation.

A village Home Affairs Leadership Program exists in the country.Its purpose is to upgrade and introduce new ideas on home skills. Thesevillage leaders take the new ideas back to their village and teach thesenew skills to other village women. The mill staff participated by runninga two-day course on sorghum. The women cooked some of the new meal invarious ways and discussed the results. They also made a number ofdifferent composite flour products similar to the ones on display for theBotswana Council of Women conference.

Various media agents offered excellent support in providinginformation on the mill through their various means. The AssistantManager and the mill staff were interviewed on Radio Botswana to explainthe purpose of the new mill. Agra-News, the monthly agricultural magazinealso visited BAMB and wrote an article in one issue. The Botswana DailyNews, the national newspaper also did an article on the mill. These, plus

the mention of the mill in speeches by the Minister of Agriculture, allprovided an excellent source of information for the public about themill's activities.

Until June 1978, the Pitsane mill was operated with

assistance from IDRC advisors. After that date, local management

took over. Unfortunately, we do not have the mill records

divided according to those dates. However, the profit and loss

statement for the mill is available for the fiscal year ending

31 March 1978 and it shows a net profit in the initial five months

of operation of over 6,000 pula or 6,900 U.S. Dollars. The

statement for fiscal year beginning 1st April 1978 through to

31 March, 1979 (Table 2) during which time the mili was operated

for two months with IDRC assistance and the remaining 10 months

with local management supervised by BAMB out of Gaborone, a distance

of 80 km, shows a much bleaker picture. The operating cost

did not vary extensively. There was no problem with marketing

either of the flour or of the bran. The throughput of the

mill remained high but the milling loss represented by the

difference between the total rate of bran and flour produced

and the weight of the grain processed rose from less than

one per cent (due to spillage and dust from the separators, etc.)

to nearly 25 per cent during some months. In other words, 75 per cent

of the flour was going out of the front door through the ordinary

market channels and 25 per cent was going out the back door.

For that year the cost of grain exceeded the return from the sale

of flour and bran. I am pleased to report that BAMB has since

been able to tighten this management system and control so that

the picture for 1979/80 fiscal year looks much better, showing

a 22,600 pula or 29,380 U.S. Dollar profit compared to a

28,500 pula or 37,050 U.S. Dollar loss the year before. (Table 2(a)).

The 40,000 pula difference can be directly attributed to thechange in management which not only stopped the flow of flourthrough the back door, but also increased the production of themill by ensuring that it operated every day.

III. SERVICE MILLING - KANYE MILL

The product of the mill at Pitsane was an immediate

market success. Several retail stores reported that the locally

produced sorghum meal was outselling imported maize meal within

three weeks after the mill started to operate.

- 12 -

TABLE 2. MONTHLY COST AND RETURNS REPORT

(December, 1977)

Output From Mill

Value of Meal (68453 kg)

Bran (15840.9 kg)

Total (A)

Cost of Grain (B) (84840 kg. @ P121/tonne

Gross Margin for Mill Operation (A-B). (C)

Inputs to Mill Operation:

Operation (variable) Costs

Mill Labour Wage

Fuel (Vehicle)

Fuel, oil, grease

Equipment Repairs and Vehicle Repairs (25% of capital)

Miscellaneous Supplies

Packaging Supplies

Transportation

Office Supplies

Other

Total Operating Expense (D)

Margin above operating costs (C-D)

Overhead (fixed) Costs

Mill Manager Salary

Mill Mechanic Salary

Depreciation: Mill MachineryBuildingVehicles

Interest: 7% of total capital cost (38,287)

Total Overhead Expenses (E)

Total Mill Expenses D-t-E = F

Margin Above Total Costs C-F

Total (Pula)

231.04

391.46

114.22

598.20

889.27

12,658.49

1,425.68

14,084.17

10,265.64

3,818.53

2,224.19

1,594.34

180.00

130.00

200.8839.58

130.05223.34

903.85

3,128.04

690.49

Wages & Running Costs

- Wages

1,365

- Maintenance &

Research (25%

on equipment

2-(a) - PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT PITSANE MILL

1.11.77 to

1.4.78 to

1.4.79 to

Cost of Sales

21.3.78

31.3.79

31.3.80

Opening Stock

PP 12,927

P 17,613

Purchases

- Sorghum

49,819

- Containers

.6,330

175,532

275,351

56,149

Closing Stock

- Sorghum

3,302

- Meal

1,503

- Bran

2,711

- Containers

5,411

17,613

39,532

12,927

TOTAL COST

P 43,222

P 170,846

P253,432

SALES

57,760

170,645

314,289

GROSS PROFIT (LOSS)

14,538

(201)

60,857

Other Costs

Salaries

-650

5,928

6,240

Depreciation - Mill building 9500x5%

1,853

4,447

4,447

- Maintenance & equipment,

24105x10%

- Vehicle 4682x33-1/3%

Interest

- 7% of capital cost

(38,287) 1,170

2,680

2,680

& vehicle cost)

- Traveling

- Miscellaneous

2,99156

208

15,307

24,889

4,620

TOTAL OTHER COSTS

8,240

28,362

38,256

NET PROFIT (LOSS)

p 6,298

p(28,563)

p. 22,601

- 14 -

However, 82 per cent of the population in Botswana

is engaged in agriculture and have ready access to their own

sorghum supplies. In the survey conducted before setting up

the Pitsane mill and through subsequent discussions with the

farmers, it became evident that most of the farmers preferred

to eat meal made from their own sorghum. The Pitsane survey

results indicated that the average family consumed between

2 and 5 kg daily, or weekly consumed between 15 and 30 kg.

This meant that the PRL dehuller would have to be scaled down

as well as modified to operate on a batch basis to enable it to

operate as a service mill to these farmers wishing to process

their own grain. The Government of Botswana ruled BAMB was not

the best group to design a serl;ice mill but that the task

should be given to the Rural Industries Innovation Centre (RIIC).

RIIC's primary objective is to promote and support

the development of rural industries. It is situated at Kanye,

a large village some distance from both the rail line and

Gaborone and it was felt that this would be a logical test site

for a service mill. The scaling down was approached in two ways.

First, by reducing the diameter of the stones in the dehuller

from 27 cm to 22 cm with a corresponding decrease in barrel diameter.

Secondly, by reducing the length of the barrel from 92 cm to 62 cm

which accommodates 13 stones using the standard spacing.

The new scaled-down dehuller, referred to as the RIIC dehuller,

required only 10 kg of grain to become operational, rather than

the 20 kg required by the larger PRL dehuller. Additionally,

due to the smaller diameter of the stones it was possible to

safely increase the rpm of the stones to 2,000. This had the

unique effect of increasing the throughput of the smaller machine

to that of the larger PRL dehuller. In order to accommodate

batch operation rather than continuous flow, the entire bottom

of the barrel was transformed into a trap door. This was encased

in a chute discharging near the floor and allowed the machine

to be completely emptied at any time without stopping it. Thus,

batch sizes from 10 kg (the minimum charge required) on up were

possible. Experience at the Pitsane mill indicated that neither

the cleaner nor the sifter would be required for the conditions

in Botswana. Therefore, it was decided that the service mill

needed only a dehuller, a grinder, a scale and a motor.

- 15 -

By late May 1979, the trials on the various prototypes had

been completed and the mill was established. It consisted of:

a redesigned dehuller with a capacity in excess of 500 kg/hr

when run on a continuous-flow basis, complete with a fan and

cyclone for collecting the bran; a hammermill of the same capacity

with a fan and cyclone for collecting the flour; a 25 hp water-

cooled diesel engine to drive the two machines; and weigh scale.

The equipment was housed in a very simple building and the

total capital requirement for the set-up was 11,265 pula or $14,650 U.S.

In August 1979, a survey on batch milling was carried out

in households around Kanye. The results of this survey indicated

that of those people interviewed:

98% knew about the mill

55% had actually seen the mill

45% liked the idea of paying the milling fee in

grain rather than cash.

33% of the people buy all their sorghum and would be

interested in purchasing flour rather than the grain.

13% indicated a preference for bagged flour from acommercial mili, (flour from the BAMB mill at Pitsanewas on sale in Kanye).

The manager and three workers were required to operate

the mill on a service basis, that is to dehull and grind the

grain brought to it by the customers for a fee. Extensive

calculations (Table 3) were made to determine the correct

operating fee taking into account depreciation on the building,

on the mill, interest on the capital and estimation of repair

and maintenance at 25 per cent of the equipment cost, the

salaries, insurance for both the worker and the capital, fuel

and sundry expenses, as well as a loan repayment assuming that

80 per cent of the capital cost was borrowed. Using these

figures it was determined that at approximately 1,500 kg per

day, the mill would do slightly more than break even. This is

assuming 230 working days a year at 1500 kg/day for 345,000 kg

a year, giving an operating income of 10,350 pula. With current

fuel costs of .65 pula a litre, which will process 120 kg, meant

that the income exceeded the total operating costs for the year

by 459 pula. The .03 pula charge per kg resulted in a break-even

point of 1,500 kg per day which, initial runs of the mill indicated,

could be exceeded.

- 16 -

Income: 345,000 x .03 = P10,350

Profit: P459.00

Total Capital Cost 11,265.00($14,650 U.S.)

Operating Costs - (230 days @ 1500 kg/day)

Depreciation (5% on building) 200.00(10% on maintenance & equipment) 726.05

Interest (7% of capital cost) 788.55

Repair & Maintenance (25% of equipment cost) 1,816.25

Salaries (1 mill manager @ 115.00) 1,380.00(3 assistants @ 67.20) 2,420.00

Insurance - for workers 100.00for building & equipment (0.7% of

capital) 78.85

Fuel ( litre @ P.65 to process 120 kg) 1,868.75

Sundry Expenses 300.00

Loan repayment (P10,000 ( 12% for 5 yearsfor purchase of equipment, building and2 months working capital, assuming 20%equity on capital costs) 212.55

Total Operating Costs 9,891.00

* The loan repayment in the first 5 years allows the group to accumulate(212.55 x 60) P12,753.00 over the last 5 years. This should enablethe group to replace the equipment at the end of 10 years.

TABLE 3. CALCULATICN CF BREAK-EVEN POINT FOR SERVICE MILL

Capital Costs of Building & MachineryPula

Dehuller 1,755.00Hammermill 985.00Engine 3,410.00Drives 330.00Belts and Pulleys 385.00Scale 400.00Building 4,000.00

- 17 -

The mill's operating procedure is very simple. The

customer's grain is first weighed on arrival, the weight

recorded and the fee paid. The customer supplies his own bag

for receiving the ground grain and the bag he/she brought thegrain in is used for the bran. (As mentioned already, bran

is a valuable animal feed and is alo used for brewing beer).

The processing can be watched by the customer as each machine

is separate, eliminating the possibility in his mind of loss ofproduct. Figure 1 shows the production of the mill for the firstmonth of operation -- May, 1979 -- and it should be noted that

before the end of the month, the break-even point of 1500 kg/daywas exceeded. However, at no point during the first six months

of operation did the throughput of the mill approach the capacity

of the mill, the highest day being in October when a 3,360 kgwere processed. As can be seen by Figure 2, covering six weeks

operation from the 1st September to 15th October 1979, the average,

although well above the break-even point, was well below thethe capacity of the mill...._There were days during the month when itwas operating only for slightly over an hour.

To digress for a moment, the graph shows an odd

characteristic that is reminiscent of a developed country.

There is higher throughput or higher use of the mill at the

beginning of the month, just after payday, with a drop in use

at mid-month and a rise again at the first of the next month.

This pattern seems to hold true each month and is likely due to

the now rather large percentage of the population who take up

employment in South Africa, leaving their families in Botswana.

What the graph does show very clearly is that every

day there is unused capacity in the mill that could readilybe used to make it more profitable. Indeed, if used only in

the service mode, it would have to be operating in a village

the size of Kanye and even then some extra features are

required to ensure a small profit. For example, Table 4

indicates that during the first four weeks of operation the

use of the mill was very low. It was determined through

survey and questionnaires that one of the major reasons was thatthe consumers did not have the means of transporting their grain .

to the mill for processing. A donkey cart was added to the mill

oo-8op.r4N

FIGU

RE

1.

KA

NY

E M

ILLO

UT

PU

T-M

AY

1979

3.006.00

i.0012.00

1.o13im

ro21.00

24.00217.00

3;3.006.00

316

RILL O

PE

RA

TIN

G D

AY

S

o0 -VDoU

3 ,C

Z

FIGU

RE

2.DooooC

V

KA

NY

E M

ILL SE

PT

1-OC

T 15.1979

1.1cm6.00

12.00'16.00

20.0024.00

28.0032.00

36.006.00

411.004E

MILL O

PE

RA

TIN

G D

AY

S

WEEK TOTAL KgMILLED

WORKINGDAYS

AVERAGEDAILY Kg

1 1 190 4 298

2 2 878 5 576

3 2 387 4 597

4 1 577 3 526

5 6 760 5 1 352

6 2 985 3 995

7 4 913 5 983

8 4 625 5 925

9 5 946 5 1 190

10 8 400 5 1 680

11 4 790 3 1 597

12 4 308 5 862

13 7 540 5 1 508

14 7 336 5 1 467

15 6 604 4 1 651

16 7 975 5 1 595

17 8 015 5 1 623

18 6 435 5 1 287

19 4 630 5 926

20 6 832 4 1 708

21 5 982 3 1 994

22 10 495 5 2 099

23 8 650 5 1 730

24 7 992 4 1 998

25 .9 570 5 1 914

26 11 480 5 2 296

- 20 -

- TABLE 4. grain processing record

The following are the total kilograms of grainthat were processed at the RI IC DemonstrationMill during the first 26 weeks of operation.

- 21 -

by RIIC and hired out to the customers to bring in the grainfor processing. You will note the large jump, at least double,in the use of the mill from the fifth week on. Some of thiscould be attributed to advertising etc., but the large differencefrom 526 kg daily to 1352 kg daily coincides with the introductionof the transport system. However, the problem of grain supplyat Kanye to keep the mill operating at or near capacity wasnot solved. The decentralisation however, did alleviate theaccumulation of bran problem, since the mill user was able toutilize the bran for animal feed or brewing.

IV. SERVICE/COMMERCIAL MILLING - GABANE MILL

Late in 1979, another mill was established by RIIC

at Gabane, a smaller village also in the sorghum producing area,

but closer to the capital Gaborone. The Pelagano Village

Industries (PVI), a Government-sponsored development group,

agreed to operate the mill which consists of the standard package

(dehuller and hammermill driven a 25 hp engine).

Good publicity for service milling was given at a

specially called "Kgotla" meeting when the people of the

village were told about the project. They were told that the

first day's milling (November 15, 1979) would be free and

thereafter they would be charged 0.03 pula per kg. The response

was so great that the mill was unable to cope with the volume

and the offer had to be extended another day. From that day on,

milling was done at 0.03 pula per kg and the demand decreased

significantly.Use of the service mill did not grow as fast as had been

anticipated. This could be partly attributed to the fact that

most farmers in the area had near total crop failures due to

drought. However, the mill was making a small profit within

6 months of starting operations.

- 22 --

The volume of service milling rose sharply after the

1980 harvest and people have been bringing bags of sorghum from

as far away as Molepolole, Ramotawa, Gaborone and Mochudi:

During the month of August 1980, the volume of service milling

averaged 1400 kg per day, yielding a gross of 52.00 pula. (Table 5).

In March 1980, the decision was made to do commercial

milling as well as service milling to meet the acute shortage

of sorghum meal in Gaborone and surrounding villages, and to

ensure a more constant operation of the mill.

The original intention was to buy the grain from the

Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB),but their price

was prohibitive. BAMB was purchasing from the farmers at 9.45 pula

per 70 kg bag and selling at 12.45 pula, no matter whether one

bought 1 bag or1000 bags at a time. There was no discount

on bulk purchases.

Purchase of grain from the farmers was tried

but was found to be impractical on a large scale as PVI's

requirements were 100 tonnes per month, which would mean a vast

capital outlay in grain purchases, not to mention storage facilities.

PVI briefly experimented with buying graindirect from

a big South African farmer at a favourable- price. However,

it was found to contain a large number of highly toxic datura

seeds (which is not unknown to happen when using combine harvesters).

As a final solution, grain was purchased from Corn Products

(Pty) Limited in Lobatse, who imported a hybrid product from

South Africa, at a favourable price of 9.75 pula, delivered to

Gabane with 30 days credit - effectively 6,000 pula working

capital free.

Initially, PVI packed the meal in plain, clear plastic

bags, writing "Bope jwa Mabele" and the weight on each.

The sales climbed steadily. In the early stages, PVI developed

a very simple gas-operated plastic bag sealer but as production

increased, it became necessary to invest in an electrically-

operated bag sealer.

At present, PVI does commercial milling in the morning -

over 50 bags between 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - and service milling

in the afternoon.

2 3

TABLE 5. PRODUCTION STATISTICS ON THE GABANE MILL

Production Milling

Month

Service MillingWeight Income Weight Income

P P

November, 1979 3154 94.61

December, 1979 2234 67.03 -

January, 1980 3213 96.39

February, 1980 2278 68.35

March, 1980 2569 77.06 340 87.11

April, 1980 5729 171.88 8434 2)84.76

May, 1980 7512 225.36 31861 8156.76

June, 1980 6003 180.08 51784 13254.24

July, 1980 9485 284.56 33423 8555.70

August, 1980 36385 1091.55 53064 13873.70

FIXED OPERATING COSTS PER DAY: (50 Bags, 70 kg each)

Service Milling Production Milling

Salaries & Wages 10.00 28.00

Diesel/oil 5.00 5.00

Transport

Plastic Bags

Electricity 1.00

Sorghum 487.50

Delivery/Driver/Asst. 36.00

Administration 10.00 10.00

Miscellaneous/Depreciation 10.00 10.00

P35.00 P621.50

- 24 -

Commercial milling processes a 70 kg bag in 5 minutes,

while service milling takes almost twice as long because of

the small batches. On the other hand, commercial milling requires

9 workers, as bags are hand-filled, then sealed, as opposed to

only 3 required for service milling. PVI's pricing policy is

to sell sorghum flour at 20% profit. This undercuts BAMB Pitsane

mill's price likely due to the initial grain cost the Pitsane mill

has to pay the BAMB depot of 12.45 pula. However, it should be noted

that in 1980 when Pitsane starts processing locally-produced sorghum,

while PVI is processing hybrid sorghums, there may well be, due to

a variety preference difference, a desire on the part of theconsumer to pay more for the BAMB product.

In support of the sorghum milling industry, RIIC has

developed a package for those interested in buying a mill as

described in the booklet "The Machine That Dehulls and GrindsSorghum for us."

Effective September 1, 1979, RIIC accepted orders for

the sorghum service mill. Each item could be sold separately

or in packages as listed in Table 6. The hammermill and engine

are purchased by RIIC from local suppliers, but much of the

remaining equipment is manufactured at their workshop.

The package includes follow-up by the Extension Division of RIIC.

For each dehulling unit sold, RIIC provides a three-week

training session for a person identified by the mill purchaser.

The training includes:

milling skillsinstallation and mechanical skillsbusiness management skills

RIIC will assist in the installation of the units and

repair at a cost to the owner. They also provide spare parts

for the equipment.

RIIC's capability to provide this package is at least for

the present, limited to the requirements of Botswana. It is

highly unlikely that they will ever be in a position to extend

this beyond the borders of the common market they are involved

within Southern Africa - Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa.

However, the package does meet the requirements of many developing

countries where sorghum is a staple food and it is hoped that

other agencies or industries will be interested in making itavailable in these regions.

TOTAL

2 5

9[12k131,13 6.DEHULLER PACKAGE

1 Dehuller with stand

1 Cyclone with stand

1 bag stand

dust chute

HAMMERM1LL PACKAGE

I Hippo 13A Hammermill with cyclone E stand

1 Hammermill base stand

1 bag stand

I dust chute*

ENGINE PACKAGE

1 ST3 Lister 24HP diesel engine

engine base stand

IMMEDIATE DRIVE PACKAGE

I drive shaft, 2 wall plates E 8 wall bolts

2 wall bearings

BELTS AND PULLEYS

1 complete set to fit RIIC Mill's suggested

layout ONLY

TECHNICAL CRAWINGS

1 mill building drawing 213012

1 mill layout drawing 213015

intermediate drive shaft 313005A

SUITABLE TO FIT THE RIIC MILL BUILDI45

DES/GN onLY with 2.5 metre flat top ceilings

- 26 -

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As much of the information was obtained from progress reports

on the IDRC-sponsored milling projects in Botswana, thanks are due

to project staff, in particular Nancy Eisener and Charles MacFarlane.

Thanks are also due to Mary Beaussart, Joan Sawatzky and Sybil Jones for

their assistance in the preparation of this report.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

RIIC. 1979. The Machine That Dehulls and Grinds Sorghum for us.

RIIC Kanye. 41 p.

Eastman, P. An End to Pounding. IDRC Ottawa. 63 p.

Progress Reports on IDRC-funded projects 75-0137 and 78-0023.

4. Does your family eat bread? Yes No

How many loaves of bread do they eat each week?

loaves

5. How do you prepare sorghum?

Ting (c)-Mosoko

Motogo (d) Dikgobe

Other (explain)

6. Which color sorghum flour do you prefer to use? (samples)

No preference don't know

None of these wiz:plea. WIay?

Appendix 1 - 1

CONSUMER PREFERENCE

Date: Location:

Age: 4-19 20-39 40-59 60+ Male/Pemale

1. Where do you live?

2. 2.1 Does your family eat sorghum? Yes No

2.2 How often do they eat sorghum?

(a) Daily (b) 2-3 week (o) 2-3 month

2.3 How many of these bags would your family eat inone week?

3. Where do you get most of your sorghum?

Grown by fabily at the-ialads.

Purchase from friends.

Purchase from shop or trader.

Purchase from Botswana Agricultural Marketing Boardat Industrial Site.

Other

R (Red) 1 2 3B (Brown) 1 2 3W (White) 1 2 3

Does any member fo your family eat moroko? YesNo

Would you like to be able to buy sorghum flour? Yes

9.2 Would you like to stop pounding and buy sorghum flour?Always Sometimes Never

What size bag of sorghum flour would you like to buy?

Don't know

Appendix I - 2

2

7 How do you pound sorghum flour?(samples)

F (fine) 1 2 3

A (average) 1 2 3

C (coarse) 1 2 3

None no preference

What price would you pay for this bag of sorghum flour?

9t 18t 27t 40t

12t 21t 30t More t

15t 24t 35t

Which of these grains do you prefer to use in makingsorghum porridge?

A B C D E NONE

No

Sorghum

DAILY MILLING RECORDSAPPENDIX 2.

Date

Whole Grain MilledTotal. (kg)

Bran:

Flour 2.5 (kg)

5 (kg)

12.5 (kg)

Total Flour

Extraction Ratef

%

Process Loss 4 %

Dehuller: R P M

Production hours Start:Stop:

Start:Stop:

Start:Stop:

Start:

Stop:

Start:Sto.:

Start:

Stop:

hours

hours

Maintenance hours

Engines: Dehuller Start:

Stop:

Start:

Stop:

Start:

Sto.:

Start:

Stop:

Start:

Sto.:

hours

hours

Hammermill Start:

Sto.:

Other

Labours: No. (hours)

Purchase:

Grain

Fuel Diesel

Petrol

Oil

Miscellaneous

APPENDIX 3.

WEEKLY ON- HAND ON-HANDSUMMARY BEGINNING SHIPPED PROCESSED ENDING

>i<nzoz w

E-4

<n

2.5kg

5kg-,

12.5kg,

60kg:

.

>4<nU)wP wp

g,n

2.5kg,

5kg

12.5kg

60kg

>4<nmwznw3 w

E-4

<o

2.5kg

5kg

12.5kg

60kg

>4<nmc4

xP

wPg

2.5kg7

5kg

12.5kg

60ks

>4<nHtz4

Pgn

.

i

2.5kg

5kg

12.5kg

60kg

...._._

.

Non-Fxoduetion Loss,(hours)

Process Loss (kg)

Signature

!Whale Grain__

On-hand fromPreviousWeek Purchased Processed Shipped On-hand

Units Amount Units Amount Units'Amount Units Amount Units Amoun

Bran

Meal: 2.5kg

5kg

12.5kg

Bags 2.5kg

5kg

12.5kg

Other

Expenses Quantity Price/Unit Total (Pula)

Fuel Petrol (1)

Diesel (1)

Oil (1)

Other: (1) I

Bags: 2.5(kg) .

'

5(kg)

12.5(kg)

Labour_

MiscellaneousExpense

.,

Sub-total

SORGHUM MILL WEEKLY INVENTORY APPENDIX 4.

Week Ending

ARCHU Sorghum milling : a new aFORRES no 03

c.1 41298

MONTHLY COST AND RETURNS REPORTAPPENDDC 5

Output From Mill

Value of Meal

'Ilran ,

Total (A)

Cost of Grain (B)

Gross Margin for Mill Operation (A-B).(C),

Imputs to Mill Operation:

Operation (variable) Costs

Mill Labour Wale

Fuel (Vehiclel

Fuel, oil, grease ,

fauipment Repairs

Vehicle Rquirs

Miscellaneous Supplies

Packaging Supplies

Transportation

Office Su..lies

Other

Total operating Expense (D)

Maruin above operating costs (C-D)

Overhead (fixed) Costs

Mill Manager Salary

Mill Mechanic Salary

Depreciation: Mill Machinery.

Building,

Vehicles

Interest

Other

Total Overhead Expenses (E)

Total Mill Expenses D+E = F

Margin Above Total Costs C-F

Ili illogRiulTotal. (Pule