22 May 2022

Restriction on importation of certain vegetables has resulted in an improved production locally.

“The local production of vegetables has improved from 37 000 tonnes in 2018/19 to 40 000 in 2020/21,” Local Enterprise Authority’s Channel Network head, Mr Fana Kelebogile stated during a Horticulture Engagement Workshop in Mmadinare on Thursday.

He said in value terms, locally produced vegetables increased from P125m to P188m in 2018/19 and 2020/21 respectively.

Imports on the other hand, he said stood at 27 000 tonnes, which translated to P162m in 2018/19 and continued to increase in 2020 to 34 000 tonnes translating to over P170m.

He said during the last nine months period of 2021, imports amounted to 33 000 tonnes with a value of P194m while exports remained insignificant at a value less than P300 000 annually.

Mr Kelebogile said restriction on importation of 16 selected vegetables would enable local production to increase by more than 34 tonnes.

“As a region, what will be our stake in the 34 tonnes? What will take us to have a significant contribution to close this gap,” he rhetorically asked.

Mr Kelebogile explained that closing the gap called for up scaling production, creating more jobs.

Horticulture farmers have the capacity to respond to the growing demand for vegetables in the SPEDU region and beyond, Mr Kelebogile stated.

“Government took the decision to restrict importation of 16 selected vegetables because local farmers have the capacity to produce these crops locally,” he said.

He said he had trust in local farmers and would continue empowering them to achieve food security, adding the two-year ban on the importation of some vegetables challenged horticulture farmers to increase production to meet national demand for vegetables.

Mr Kelebogile further said the three horticulture associations in Selebi Phikwe, Mmadinare and Bobonong had potential to produce more because their members had land and adequate water supply.

He said LEA, SPEDU and Ministry of Agriculture intended to work together, to assist horticulture farmers in the region to increase output. “I am confident that in three months’ time production will double, we need to see that happening,” he said.

Mr Kelebogile said the workshop was prompted by government’s resolve to restrict the importation of 16 selected vegetables which started towards end of 2021 and would last for two years, a development that called for collective efforts from stakeholders to meet demand for vegetables.

“We want government to increase the restricted vegetables from 16 to create job opportunities for Batswana,” he said and urged parastatals and government departments to support local farmers by procuring from them.

The restricted vegetables include beetroots, cabbage, carrots, tomato, potato, garlic, onions, pepper, butternuts, watermelons, turmeric, sweet pepper, green beans and fresh herbs.

For his part SPEDU’s Mr Keletso Mokopi also urged farmers to make use of government programmes and infrastructure to improve production and increase their harvest. He said SPEDU and European Union worked together to provide electricity in Motloutse area, to help farmers connect electricity in their farms in order to increase production.

Mr Mokopi said SPEDU came up with the project after realising that if borders were to close indefinitely, Botswana would not be able to sustain itself hence the need to invest in horticulture production.

He said even with the infrastructure, only 39 farmers had been able to connect electricity, a number he deemed unimpressive.

Horticulture farmers representative, Mr Christopher Molelo said the ban had empowered farmers to increase production.

“The restriction has created a market for us,” he said and further explained that prior to that, local vegetables were sold at low prices which demoralised farmers.

Mr Molelo decried shortage of farming land and water as some of the challenges faced by horticulture farmers. ENDS