By: Ngiinomenwa-vali Erastus
Local production for butternuts, green and coloured pepper, cucumber, pumpkins, sweet potato, and plum tomato will be sufficient for local demands for the period of April 2023.
Thus, the border will be closed for the importation of the seven fresh produce, according to projected production statistics submitted to the Namibia Agronomic Board (NAB).
The NAB in its monthly Notice to all horticulture traders indicated the close and open borders for special controlled products as guided by the local production projection for the month.
The country has 20 Special Controlled Products that NAB requires traders or importers to seek a permit for their importation in the country in line with local production for that particular month.
For the whole of April, the notice has indicated that the border is completely closed for seven horticulture products, namely butternuts, green and coloured pepper, cucumber, pumpkins, sweet potato and plum tomato.
This serves as an indication that the local farmers have produced plenty to meet domestic and some even for export if there is a market.
Apart from the seven fresh produce local farmers are producing sufficiently, five other fresh produce will be imported on a pro-rata basis.
This indicates that the local farmers have planted them but the expected harvest will not be sufficient to meet the local demand.
These are beetroot, sweetcorn and round tomato. Local production can only meet 50% of the demand, while for lettuce (iceberg), domestic production can only meet 60% of the demand.
As for the jam tomato, the local producers are able to meet 80% of the local demand, and the rest can be imported for April.
For the rest of the eight specially controlled products, the border is wide open for their imports.
The NAB highlighted that local production ability for the month has been influenced by either the weather (winter or summer crops) or other factors.
Washed potatoes, cabbage, carrot, gem squash, onions, watermelons, sweet melons, and spinach are all open for importation without restriction but the 47% Market Share Promotion (MSP) should apply, the NAB stated.
During its Board meeting held in August 2022, it resolved to maintain the MSP scheme threshold at 47%, saying the decision was informed by the production forecast reports indicating a lower estimate of primary MSP in comparison to previous marketing seasons.
NAB added: "By keeping the MSP at its current threshold, local traders will be able to maintain their market share." Email: erastus@thevillager.com.na
