16 Apr 2013

Communities living in the Kgalagadi South constituency are allowed to buy fruits from South Africa, Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Oreeditse Molebatsi told Parliament Friday.

Responding to a Parliamentary question, Mr Molebatsi said nobody was prohibited from importing produce from any country. He said the only time there were import restrictions was when there was enough produce in the country to satisfy the demand for a certain period of time.

“Only 21 of locally produced fruits and vegetables are restricted from importation whenever locally grown produce is in abundance and quality is right,” he said, adding that was applicable to all areas of Botswana and it was also a strategy to develop the local horticulture industry.

Furthermore, the assistant minister explained that it was expensive for any local produce to reach distant areas thus reasonable for local traders to source produce locally collectively to share and cushion costs.

He noted the ministry had set up offices and facilities at six gazetted border posts in Martins Drift, Tlokweng, Ramatlabama, Bray and McCarthy’s Rust where livestock could be imported into Botswana.

Kgalagadi South MP, Mr John Toto had asked why people in his constituency were not allowed to buy fruits and vegetables in South Africa for commercial purposes.

Mr Toto had also asked the ministry to consider allowing Bokspits and Middlepits border posts to clear imported bulls or livestock once a month to assist farmers who wanted to import such from South Africa. ENDS