08 Aug 2022

The percentage of the national production of potatoes and onions has increased since the ban on the importation of horticultural products.

However, figures showed a decrease in the percentage of the national production of tomatoes and ginger since the importation ban, says Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi.

Answering a question in Parliament on Friday, he said production of potatoes increased by 8.45 per cent after the importation ban from 74.9 per cent before the restriction.

He added that the production of onions also increased to 62.25 per cent after the importation ban from 55.6 per cent before the restriction.

Mr Molebatsi pointed out that tomatoes production decreased by 6.67 per cent after the restrictions from 51.2 per cent before while ginger production went down to 0.03 per cent from 0.1 per cent before the importation restrictions.

“The crops range between 50-70 per cent of the local production against demand, except for ginger where farmers are now beginning to get into production of this crop,” said the assistant minister.

He pointed out that where there was a decrease, it was because the crops were still not harvested.

He said there was currently a shortage of tomatoes in retail stores.

He noted that prices for tomatoes before the importation ban ranged from P12-15 per kg while they now cost P18-22 per kg. He said potatoes were P6-8 per kg before the ban, and they now cost P10-14 per kg.

He added that onions were P3-5 per kg before the ban, and they now cost P10-18 per kg. He further said because of its short supply, ginger now costs P85-90 per kg.

Mr Molebatsi said the total number of potato farmers in Botswana was 14 and that nine of them were Batswana citizens. He said two were based in the Tuli Block, two in Chobe, one in Ngamiland and four in the Kweneng District.

“The measures that the ministry has taken to protect consumers are as follows:

The Ministry of Agriculture publishes information on a weekly basis for available products, locations and producer contact details to ensure consumers have access to producers and produce.

This empowers consumers to make informed decisions about where they could buy,” said the assistant minister.

He further said the ministry on several occasions coordinated meetings with producers to ensure continuous supply of produce in the market.

He said the ministry also promoted market days at strategic areas such as shopping malls to ease access to produce.

“The ministry has also introduced a programme called impact accelerator subsidy to support farmers to increase horticulture production and provide access to production structures and inputs.

The objective is to promote protected cultivation amongst horticulture farmers therefore promoting sustainable production.

This intervention has availed capital to farmers hence ensuring increased production and improved quality,” said Mr Molebatsi.

He also said farmers were given a grant through the programme to buy equipment such as irrigation pipes and shade nets.

 He, however, said the ministry did not have influence on determination of prices of vegetables in the market.

Maun West MP, Mr Dumelang Saleshando had asked the minister to elaborate on the percentage of national production of tomatoes, potatoes, onions and ginger when compared to total demand at the time of the import ban.

Mr Saleshando also asked what had been the increases in production since the ban and how the prices for each of the items had changed from the time of the ban.

He wanted the minister to give the number of farmers engaged in farming of potatoes and how many of them were indigenous Batswana.

Mr Saleshando further wanted to know measures put in place to protect consumers against shortages of the products as well as price increases due to product shortages. ENDs