02 Mar 2023

Government’s initiative to restrict imports of horticulture products could shape the trade laws going forward, Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Beauty Manake has said.

Answering a question in Parliament on Wednesday, Ms Manake explained that restrictions on imports of horticulture products that government implemented from January 1 last year were an effort to encourage uptake on the supply as well as consumption of locally produced horticultural produce.

“It is to the best of interest of the country for supermarkets operating in Botswana to support locally produced products as this would assist to reduce the import bill.

Support of locally produced products would eventually lead to increased productivity, improved quality standards, reduced unemployment and improved food security,” she said.

Again, she indicated that most of the farm produce currently found in local supermarkets were products from Botswana and the initiative was meant to assist visibility and shelf space for local products.

“Depending on how this initiative is impactful it will shape government trade laws going forward to continue encouraging consumption of locally produced products,” she added.

Other efforts, she said, included the PushaBW initiative, which has resulted in local products being listed in retail stores.

Ms Manake said the Competition Act of 2018 did not pronounce it illegal for big supermarkets to sell products such as menoto.

However, she noted that a takeaway or fresh produce/butchery which were reserved businesses for citizens or companies wholly owned by citizens may be operated within a supermarket and allow sale of such.

Member of Parliament for Gaborone North, Mr Mpho Balopi had asked the minister to state policies or laws in place to protect local small, medium and micro enterprises, which had potential to unlock jobs for Batswana.

Mr Balopi had also wanted to know if existing competition laws did not outlaw big supermarkets from competing unfairly with small businesses by selling products that should be left for small ones.

He further asked the minister if she was aware that some supermarkets did not buy or stock adequate local farm produce and if government would consider making laws that would promote uptake of such. ENDS