High fruit imports ‘alarming’

While Namibia currently imports 45% of vegetables, 95% of fruits are still being imported to meet local demand. Nevertheless, the CEO of the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB), Dr Fidelis Mwazi, says significant milestones have been achieved in Namibia’s journey towards food self-sufficiency. In a recent newsletter issued by NAB, Mwazi, highlighted that Namibia has made remarkable progress thanks to the import situation of the Horticulture Market Share Promotion (MSP) scheme.The MSP scheme is a growth-at-home strategy implemented by NAB that aims to stimulate horticulture production in Namibia and promote local sales of fresh fruits and vegetables.Mwazi said since its inception in 2004, the scheme has evolved, with the minimum MSP required from traders increasing from 5% to the current 47%.“This progress is evident in our vegetable production, where we have achieved 55% self-sufficiency. The MSP scheme is supported by the Special Controlled Product (SCP) scheme, which initially focused on potatoes and onions and now encompasses 20 vegetable product lines," Mwazi explained.Successful strategyThe SCP scheme entails the implementation of closed and open border periods during times of sufficient local production, thus allowing farmers to sell their products without competing with cheap imports from neighbouring countries with high economies of scale and significant government support through subsidies.The successful implementation of these complementary schemes has led to an increase in local vegetable production, with only 45% of the country&#039;s vegetables currently being imported to meet local demand.“Potatoes alone account for about 85% of vegetable imports, highlighting the significant opportunity for increased local potato production to ensure that Namibia becomes 80% self-sufficient in vegetable production in the next five years," Mwazi said. Alarming numbersHowever, Mwazi said while Namibia’s vegetable production sector is thriving, its fruit production line is still heavily reliant on imports, with 95% of fruits being imported to meet domestic demand.“These statistics are alarming. Therefore, to address this imbalance, the NAB has initiated the Namibia Fruit Development Scheme (NFDS) as part of its crop value chain strategy.”The NFDS scheme is a comprehensive programme aimed at stimulating local fruit production, processing and marketing.“We encourage all commercial fruit farmers to register with us, as the NFDS will not only create opportunities for local producers but also attract foreign investment that will benefit our communities and the nation as a whole.”Major challengeMwazi warned that climate variability has emerged as a significant obstacle to crop production and overall food self-sufficiency.This, he said, has led to a notable decrease in the production of staple food crops such as white maize, with the 2023–2024 marketing season registering a decrease from 98 000 tonnes marketed during the previous season to 68 000 tonnes.“This highlights the urgent need for a strategic shift in our approach. Embracing irrigation and adopting climate-smart practices are the crucial steps that we must take to mitigate the impacts of climate change and climate variability on our crop industry," he advised.

High fruit imports ‘alarming’

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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High fruit imports ‘alarming’

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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