Sunday Mail Reporter
The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) will next month begin installing maize-milling plants across the country to increase the availability of its Silo brand of mealie-meal.

GMB general manager Mr Albert Mandizha said the initiative also seeks to expand the parastatal’s income base in terms of an ongoing commercialisation programme.

He said one of the plants will be installed at Aspindale Depot in Harare by the end of this year and another at Khulumani Depot in Bul­awayo.
The structures will have been completed in all provinces by early next year, he added.

“Since we are experiencing drought, the milling plants will ensure mealie-meal reaches the remote and affected areas because the GMB is visible countrywide,” he said.
“We are targeting our provincial depots to make sure Silo maize meal is widely accessible. The milling plants will have state-of-the-art equipment with the first one to be installed in October.”

Apart from grain procurement, the GMB also produces Silo products such as mealie-meal and rice as part of efforts to boost income.