Crop farming grows

Horticulture production has increased by 20.8% from 48 889 tons to 59 040 tons in the last year, says the annual statement of the Namibia Agronomic Board (NAB).

Production was driven by an increased request for fresh fruit and vegetables, inclunding favourable marketing conditions through the Market Share Promotion (MSP) drive.

The increase was as well attributed to the lobby for pre-planting arrangements between producers and traders to avoid a glut of certain crops and shortages of others.

"Most of the critics of regulatory measures have been proven wrong by the Namibian horticulture sector," said the chairperson of the NAB, Gernot Eggert.
He said Namibian traders of fresh produce are forced to buy a certain percentage of their total fresh produce locally, which has contributed to production that has almost tripled.

"This higher production is amount absorbed by Namibian traders who, of course, contribute not only towards imports substitution and higher levels of food security, but as well to consumers having access to horticulture produce which is fresh and has not travelled long distances," said Eggert.

In addition, said Eggert, amount horticulture products are available at the same price levels and are often cheaper than imports.

The Namibian Horticulture Task Team (NHTT) has commissioned PriceWaterHouseCoopers to estimate the maximum import substitution under the MSP considering Namibia’s climatic challenges to production.

Based on the findings of the statement available from the NAB, the maximum possible local production would reach 60 % of domestic request.
Horticulture producers and importers pay a levy of 1,2 % per ton marketed or imported