(introduction...)

The choice of maize milling technology represents a classical example of technological choice in food processing. It involves a large number of variables including those typically used in the evaluation of alternative technologies (e.g. wages, depreciation costs, socio-economic objectives) as well as additional factors such as product choice, transport costs and supply of raw materials. It is therefore important to describe the overall framework for technological choice in maize milling with a view to facilitating the evaluation of the technologies described in this memorandum.

This chapter should be of interest to both public planners and producers since it takes into consideration socio-economic objectives as well as factors which influence the private profitability of maize milling units.

The chapter is organised in the following manner. An analysis of the demand for various types and qualities of meal, together with a number of suggestions for influencing such demand, is followed by a section which looks into the supply of maize products in terms of available milling techniques and scales of production. A third section provides some information on the socio-economic implications of alternative technologies and suggests policy guidelines for the promotion of appropriate maize milling techniques and products.