Women find economic relief in roasted maize business
By Kelvin Kutinyo
Women vendors have quickly capitalized on the recent rains by selling roast maize, a move that’s already paying off with positive sales, adding a new best-seller to their stalls.
Nearby farmers from Nyamandlovu and Ntabazinduna are also flooding the city market centre with maize, wholeselling it at US$1 for 5, ensuring a steady supply for vendors.
One of the suppliers, who wished to be known as Baba Nxumalo, noted that the maize business is thriving, with demand currently outstripping supply.
“We come to Bulawayo once a week with a truck full of maize, normally we stay about two days trying to clear our products and then go back to harvest again for another trip.”
“We travel over night mostly on Sundays and arrive at about 2am in Bulawayo, then we start to offload preparing for the day as people come to the market early,” he said.
The women purchase the raw maize in large quantities early in the morning and resell it roasted, charging 10 rand each cob or US$1 and 5 rand for two cobs.
Mrs Motsi and some other women reported that they’re already harvesting from their urban crops, which is helping them cut down on costs.
“When the rains started last year everyone thought maybe it was a bit early to start farming, so we went to prepare the land and began our farming. Today we are harvesting to sell but the challenge now is that thieves have started to come to our fields,” said Mrs Motsi.
The fields are located along the Victoria Falls highway, near suburbs such as Richmond, Emganwini, and others, as well as behind the National Railways of Zimbabwe workshop yard in areas such as Entumbane and Mpopoma where sewer water is used as a substitute.
A common sight in the central business district lately is that of women standing behind small braai stands fashioned from metal dishes and fan covers, roasting maize and offering aromat and salt to customers, determined to improve their livelihoods.
The recent rainfall has also eased concerns for farmers and residents, with water levels in the city’s dams rising and prospects of a good harvest likely to increase.
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