How to establish a small dried vegetables business in Zim

Business Reporter
IN local green markets, bundles of dried vegetables (mufushwa) — of nyevhe and derere — are a staple.
But transforming that tradition into a formal small business is not as simple as drying greens in the sun.
The upfront costs are modest, but unavoidable.
Solar dryers, now increasingly preferred over traditional open-air drying due to hygiene and speed, cost between US$300 and US$1 000 depending on capacity and quality.
A basic 10-tray cabinet dryer, enough for small-scale operations, retails for about US$450.
Next comes the processing space.
Many small producers start at home, but if you are eyeing formal retail or exports, you will need a facility compliant with food safety standards — concrete floors, fly-proof screens and potable water.
Renovating a single-room structure can cost US$800 to US$1 200.
Licensing
At the minimum, you will need a food handler’s certificate (around US$30), a municipality health certificate (US$50 to US$100) and company registration (about US$150 if you go through an agent).
Zimbabwe Revenue Authority registration is free, but you will need a tax clearance certificate before selling to formal retailers.
Raw material costs depend on season and source. In peak harvest months, leafy greens like covo, rape and tsunga go for as little as US$5 per 50kg bag in rural areas.
Drying reduces volume by up to 90 percent, so you will need a lot of fresh produce to make one kilogramme of dried vegetables.
Factor in packaging — clear, resealable pouches with labels cost around US$0,15 apiece — and you start to see why margins are tight without scale.
Then there is the invisible cost: time.
Drying takes two to four days, and rehydration tests, sorting, packaging and labelling stretch that further.
Labour, even if it is your own, is a real input.
Hiring one helper at a minimum wage (around US$150 per month) can ease the load but eats into profits.
Altogether, starting small — with one dryer, home-based processing and self-sourced produce — can cost US$1 200 to US$2 000.
Scaling beyond that opens new revenue potential, especially through supermarkets or diaspora-focused exports, but also introduces higher compliance and transport costs.
Dried vegetables provide a viable business opportunity, if you can navigate the startup challenge.