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Sydney Mubaiwa in ZAKA

The advent of marula season has come as a blessing to hundreds of women here, who are making a living out of the marula traditional brew, better known as mukumbi.

The brew is not only attracting local imbibers, but others from as far afield as Bikita, Gutu and Chiredzi.

Unaffordable prices of both clear and opaque beer in beerhalls and bottle stores has helped push up demand for marula beer, which is also famed for being highly potent.

Women from villages like Murerekwa, Chipanza, Muroi, Benzi, Vhudzi and others around Jerera Growth Point have turned to brewing marula beer to earn a living.

Mrs Vongai Bere, who is one of the brewers in Chipanza, said the venture has helped her to send her children to school and buy food for her family.

“We collected marula fruits from the trees and started making beer which takes three to four days to ferment before we sell it to customers.

“We learnt how to produce marula beer from our elders who used it for traditional rituals years back,” she said.

Mrs Bere said previously, women in the area never took the brew as a business opportunity.

“Today, a 20 litre bucket of the product is selling at $100 while a 2-litre container costs $10. We are making good money daily because most of the people in rural areas can no longer afford to buy beer from the shops. This is better than engaging in prostitution, theft and other unproductive activities,” she said.

Another beer maker in Bare Village, Mrs Emelda Gomo said marula is also regarded as an energy drink.