24 Oct 2016

Horticultural farmers’ dream of having a market for their produce has been crushed.
Their hopes were dashed following Botswana horticultural market’s uncertain future.
The market was the farmers’ hope after many years of sweat, blood and tears in a stiff market characterised by big retailers who often consumed the farmers produce for a nickel and a dime.
Speaking during a horticultural farmers meeting in Molepolole recently, chairman of Botswana Horticultural Council (BHC) Mr Boikaego Phole told farmers that Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), which had a 50 per cent stake in the ailing horticultural market had since announced that they were not interested in injecting funds into BHC.
 Mr Phole also explained to the farmers that this means that BHC was left in indeterminate state with the entity.  
Mr Phole explained that while government had injected P2 million into Botswana Horticultural Market, the funds were to be accounted for by the horticultural council.
Mr Phole therefore urged farmers to work hard since the future was bright for horticulture as a business.
Responding to his remarks, farmers expressed shock and discontent at the news.  
Mr Chaka Keoagile, a farmer who trades in vegetable production in Suping, expressed disappointment saying that farmers had been struggling with market access for years.  
This, he said, had led to some farmers quitting horticulture along the way because of the ever skyrocketing input costs.
He also pointed out that the fact that the horticultural market was still a farfetched dream, chain stores had taken advantage of this situation and continued to suppress prices at the expense of the producers.  
He emphasised that the horticultural market must work one way or the other because it would be able to regulate prices.
He further lamented that if farmers did not speak with one voice, there would be more harm than good.
Other farmers also reiterated Mr Keoagile’s remarks saying that if farmers do not realize the importance of membership to the horticultural council at individual farm level they are doomed.  
They said paying membership fees was crucial to aid the council to carry out its functions with suggestions that perhaps Botswana Horticultural Market could be privatized with ownership resting entirely on Botswana Horticultural Council.
They stressed that unless they are a collective they will not realize the fruits of their labour.
On the contrary, other farmers have blamed the collapse of the horticultural market on farmers themselves.  Some said farmers do not utilize the Botswana Horticultural Market.  
They said some farmers prefer selling individually while at the same time bringing unnecessary pressure and competition among themselves.  
They said the only way forward is for government to consider turning Botswana Horticultural Market into a parastal just like Botswana Marketing Board.
More often than not, small and medium scale farmers have been blamed by large commercial farmers for upsetting the cropping plan and end up causing losses for the horticultural market because small and medium scale farmers do not adhere to a set cropping plan.
Botswana Horticultural Market is owned by the Ministry of Agriculture through Botswana Horticultural Council (BHC) and Botswana Development Cooperation. ENDS