Published: 28 June 2018

BULAWAYO-BASED milling company, Buntu Foods Private Limited, said it was seeking $90 000 for equipment and raw material purchases.

The company's operations director, Godfree Ndlovu-Mgumba, told NewsDay yesterday that they needed close to $100 000 for machinery and raw material purchases.

"We are challenged with sourcing of raw material, that's grain. We are facing challenges with our machinery. We don't have our own milling machine, so we outsource that. In terms of raw material we buy grain from GMB," Ndlovu-Mgumba said.

"We negotiate to some extent with suppliers who are communal farmers. When we say we need assistance in funding we mean capital to buy equipment. The figures in terms of proper equipment are ranging between $50 000 to $60 000, then in terms of capital to buy enough grain we need something close to $30 000."

He said if government could chip in and assist through credit lines, the sector would grow.

"If government can allow small grain millers in Bulawayo to get grain from GMB on credit, then that will do good for upcoming business people," Ndlovu-Mgumba said.

He also appealed GMB to avail credit lines to small grain millers in Bulawayo under the special economic zone.

However, Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) southern region chairman, Thembinkosi Ndlovu, said there were no challenges with regards to grain purchasing from GMB.

"All millers we have in Matabeleland who are registered under the GMAZ are comfortably getting maize from GMB," he said.

Ndlovu-Mgumba said the company had been operating at zero funding from inception in 2015 up to today.

"The business has taken an organic growth, of course financed by savings from directors' salaries," he said.

The company services Bulawayo, Gweru, Kadoma, Kwekwe and Harare markets.

It specialises in traditional meals like millet, sorghum, rapoko, boiled roundnuts as well as stockfeeds.
- newsday