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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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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