Presidential intervention helps lift crippling horticulture export ban
Agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani has confirmed that South Africa has lifted its suspension on selected Namibian horticultural imports, restoring cross-border trade in key commodities such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, watermelons and pumpkins.
Delivering a ministerial statement in the National Assembly last week, Zaamwani said the suspension, introduced on 8 August, followed phytosanitary concerns raised by South Africa’s National Plant Protection Organization (NPPOZA).
Namibia’s counterpart, the National Plant Protection Organisation of Namibia (NPPONA), promptly submitted the required technical documentation on 12 August, which was later accepted by South Africa.
However, technical back-and-forths over additional surveillance data and pest diagnostics delayed resolution. “This approach necessitated institutional restructuring in the shortest possible term,” Zaamwani said, adding that the ministry has already started increasing staffing capacity within the directorate of plant health to strengthen Namibia’s response to future biosecurity matters.
Presidential intervention
With no agreement reached at the technical level, the dispute escalated to ministerial and ultimately presidential levels, where diplomatic intervention brought an end to the suspension. “All previously withdrawn permits have been reinstated, and trade in the affected commodities officially resumed on 23 October 2025,” Zaamwani announced.
She described the outcome as a testament to Namibia’s plant health systems and to “the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation between our two nations.”
The suspension, lasting over two months, inflicted serious economic damage on Namibian producers.
“Our farmers incurred immense financial losses as well as spoiled produce, especially for the two main producers of tomatoes,” Zaamwani said. The temporary halt also threatened grape exports relying on South African transit routes to reach European markets, as well as over 20 000 jobs, and undermined producer confidence.
Zaamwani credited the timely intervention by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah with safeguarding livelihoods and maintaining Namibia’s reputation as a reliable agricultural trade partner. “This helped preserve the integrity of the horticultural value chain and reaffirm our sound bilateral relations with our biggest trading partner and sisterly country, South Africa,” she said.
Delivering a ministerial statement in the National Assembly last week, Zaamwani said the suspension, introduced on 8 August, followed phytosanitary concerns raised by South Africa’s National Plant Protection Organization (NPPOZA).
Namibia’s counterpart, the National Plant Protection Organisation of Namibia (NPPONA), promptly submitted the required technical documentation on 12 August, which was later accepted by South Africa.
However, technical back-and-forths over additional surveillance data and pest diagnostics delayed resolution. “This approach necessitated institutional restructuring in the shortest possible term,” Zaamwani said, adding that the ministry has already started increasing staffing capacity within the directorate of plant health to strengthen Namibia’s response to future biosecurity matters.
Presidential intervention
With no agreement reached at the technical level, the dispute escalated to ministerial and ultimately presidential levels, where diplomatic intervention brought an end to the suspension. “All previously withdrawn permits have been reinstated, and trade in the affected commodities officially resumed on 23 October 2025,” Zaamwani announced.
She described the outcome as a testament to Namibia’s plant health systems and to “the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation between our two nations.”
The suspension, lasting over two months, inflicted serious economic damage on Namibian producers.
“Our farmers incurred immense financial losses as well as spoiled produce, especially for the two main producers of tomatoes,” Zaamwani said. The temporary halt also threatened grape exports relying on South African transit routes to reach European markets, as well as over 20 000 jobs, and undermined producer confidence.
Zaamwani credited the timely intervention by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah with safeguarding livelihoods and maintaining Namibia’s reputation as a reliable agricultural trade partner. “This helped preserve the integrity of the horticultural value chain and reaffirm our sound bilateral relations with our biggest trading partner and sisterly country, South Africa,” she said.
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