By Kaleb Nghishidivali
Windhoek, SepT. 14 – Namibia’s agricultural sector has achieved a significant milestone in the first quarter of 2023 with the successful inaugural exports of soft citrus and grapefruit, valued at N$15 million. Minister of Agriculture Water and Land Reform, Carl Schlettwein, commended this achievement, emphasizing the crucial role played by the Namibia Agronomic Board (NAB) in ensuring product quality and food safety for international customers.
Alongside this success, the country is also witnessing a surge in blueberry production, accompanied by expansion plans aimed at increasing export capacity.
The soft citrus and grapefruit exports, totalling 424 tons, yielded remarkable results without any rejections, showcasing the high quality of Namibian produce. The NAB’s inspection services were instrumental in ensuring that these products met international standards. Schlettwein also highlighted the expansion of blueberry production, with 71 hectares already in production at the Mashare Irrigation Project and Komsberg along the Orange River.
Furthermore, plans are underway to develop an additional 50 hectares of blueberry farms at Divundu, with a long-term target of 500 hectares over the course of a decade. Namibia’s unique climatic conditions provide the advantage of entering the international market two weeks ahead of schedule, expanding the country’s global presence.
Despite these triumphs in fruit exports, Namibia is confronting challenges in staple food production, particularly for white maize, pearl millet (mahangu), and wheat. The country’s self-sufficiency rate for these crops is projected to be 26% lower for the 2023 harvesting season compared to the previous season, attributed to the severe drought experienced in the 2022/23 planting season, especially affecting dryland crops such as white maize and mahangu.
Schlettwein acknowledged the geopolitical challenges faced by farmers, processors, and stakeholders in the crop value chain, which have led to a significant increase in agricultural input costs, exceeding 30%.
The rise in prices of seeds, agrochemicals, fuel, and electricity has contributed to this overall surge in costs. These challenges underscore the importance of supporting Namibian farmers and finding sustainable solutions to ensure food security in the nation.
While Namibia celebrates its achievements in fruit exports, the government remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing the challenges faced in staple crop production, working towards ensuring food self-sufficiency and stability in the agricultural sector.- Namibia Daily News
