Panda farmers to get 12 grain storage silos
The construction of 12 grain storage silos each with a capacity of 5,000 metric tons at Pandamatenga Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is anticipated to be complete in March 2023, BusinessMonitor has learnt.
The government has provided funding for construction of silos in Pandamatenga as part of the common facilities to be utilised by commercial farmers operating within the agricultural Special Economic Zone. These modern facilities are expected to enhance both the efficiency and efficacy of grain management.
The provision of additional facilities will also facilitate the separation for various crops, being sorghum, maize, wheat and sunflower while other produce such as millet, ground nuts and cowpeas will be catered for in a warehouse.
“My ministry continues to make strides in promoting economic diversification through the development of strategic industry support infrastructure across the country to facilitate ease of doing business and integration to regional trade,” the Minister of Trade and Industry Mmusi Kgafela told Parliament last week.
Latest figures by Statistics Botswana indicate that cereals, which include maize, rice, sorghum and others as well as beverages, spirits and vinegar have continuously topped the monthly food import bill.
As per the International Merchandise Statistics report of October 2022, issued by Statistics Botswana, total imports were valued at P7 billion. Leading import commodities were capital goods and consumer goods such as food, beverages and tobacco products and textiles and footwear continue to be high.
Indices tracking individual price groups also show the enduring price pressure on household with average oil and fat prices up 36% in the 12 months to February and average vegetable prices up 22% over that period.
Bread and cereal prices were up 26% over the same period indicating that the rate of increase in the prices of basic commodities continues to significantly exceed average inflation, cereals include maize, wheat, millet, rice, sorghum.