06 Jul 2021

Farmers have been challenged to produce for exports. 

The call was made by Assistant Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Ms Beauty Manake, when speaking to Ngamiland farmers in Maun on Monday. 

She said the government and Botswana market at large could not support all businesses and equally. 

Ms Manake cited piggery production business as one of the businesses that required the need to explore external markets. 

She said it was noted that only 10 per cent of the local population consumed pork as pork was associated with some religious beliefs and as such some people were against its consumption in the country. 

She, however, said recent statistics showed there was high consumption of pork in the tourism industry, which was another market that farmers could explore. 

Ms Manake also said there was need to open markets for beef to enable farmers to reinvest and optimally benefit from their farming businesses. 

Also, she said there was need for Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) to compete with other private abattoirs to do away with its monopoly of being the sole exporter. 

When presenting issues affecting farmers, Joint Farmers Association Chairperson, Mr Frank Mafela, said farmers desired that Maun BMC could revisit the issue of export of live cattle to Zimbabwe. 

He said exportation of live cattle would help farmers to benefit better from their livestock.

 Mr Mafela also said Ngamiland farmers had asked for a special dispensation to help farmers with high costs associated with quarantine process. 

He said farmers, especially those in the Okavango region, incurred more costs such as transport to take cattle for quarantine at Makalamabedi. 

Haina Veldt farmers association, Mr Keleitsang Ledimo said farmers wished for their beef to find markets externally. 

Mr Ledimo said farmers hoped for the Ministry of Trade and Industry and relevant parastatals to assist in finding external markets for Ngamiland beef. Ends