Introduction

Grading is an important practice for producers in preparing the crop for the market. The grade actually determines the price the farmer receives for his or her crop at the market.  It is quite a good   practice for a producer to start grading at the farm before taking the produce to the market as it gives the producer an indication of the worth of his crop and so is the resultant income.

Grading facilitates grain trade because it lays down the standard which is well understood by local as well as international grain traders, it eliminates the necessity for contracts between the buyer and seller and most importantly grading eliminates the red tape and the time wasting procedure of buying on sample.

Upon receipt of the produce at any Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board depot the crop is first sampled and subjected to a grading process to determine the price to be paid to the producer.

The series of articles on grading of the various crops that will follow are intended to give insights to producers, millers and the general clientele into the grading process as conducted at the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board and indeed grading in general.

Read more: Grading of Maize