By: Erastus Andreas
Namibia’s horticulture exports are growing, but the country is still importing more horticultural products than it exports, leaving a sizeable market for local farmers and agricultural businesses.
In the second quarter of 2026, Namibia exported horticultural products worth N$226.3 million, up 51.3% from N$149.6 million recorded during the same quarter last year.
But imports were higher, reaching N$332.1 million and leaving a horticulture trade deficit of N$105.8 million.
Dates were the biggest contributor to export earnings at N$158.3 million, followed by tomatoes at N$24.5 million and onions at N$15.2 million.
On the import side, potatoes were the largest identified product at N$51.9 million, followed by apples at N$31.3 million, tea leaves at N$16.9 million and bananas at N$12.6 million. South Africa supplied 92.6% of Namibia’s horticultural imports.
For Namibia’s farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs, the figures point to a market that is already there.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Ruthy Masake recently said that about 96% of fruit and 46% of vegetables consumed domestically are imported, while potatoes also remain heavily dependent on imports.
Masake said increasing local production could create opportunities for investment, value addition and income to remain within the Namibian economy.
The opportunity, however, is not simply about telling farmers to produce more.
Namibia’s horticulture sector still faces challenges such as high input costs, drought, water shortages, pests and limited capacity for processing and storage, according to the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB)
The NAB says the country remains a net importer of mainly fresh fruit, while vegetable production has increased since the introduction of its Market Share Promotion scheme.
The scheme requires importers of fresh fruit and vegetables to source at least 47% of the value of their requirements locally as a condition for unrestricted imports.
That creates an established market for local producers, but it also puts pressure on farmers to supply produce consistently and meet the requirements of buyers.
For entrepreneurs, the business opportunity also stretches beyond growing crops.
The scaled horticulture industry requires irrigation services, input suppliers, cold storage, transport, packaging, processing and distribution.
Namibia’s own development plans also identify agro-processing as an area where agriculture can create stronger links with manufacturing and increase the value earned from locally produced raw materials.
The export figures show that Namibian producers can compete outside the domestic market.
Dates and grapes continue to dominate exports.
For the quarter in consideration, dates alone generated N$158.3 million in exports during the second quarter, while Namibia also earned export income from tomatoes, onions and other horticultural products.
At the same time, the import figures show that local demand remains far from being supplied by Namibian producers.
The N$N$332.1 million quarterly gap is an indication of the scale of the market currently being supplied by imports.
The business question for local entrepreneurs in the trade statistics is that Namibia needs to scale and diversify crop portfolio to meet the domestic market.
For farmers who can answer that question and for businesses that can support them with finance, technology, storage, logistics and processing, horticulture could offer more than food production.
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