Food import bill remains high despite vegetable ban

Botswana’s food import bill has remained largely unchanged despite the vegetable ban that was put in place to bolster local production, foster a culture of self- reliance and also cut the exorbitant amount that Government spends on food imports. Figures released by Statistics Botswana indicate that from P871.4 million in May, the country’s food import bill ballooned to between P2.3 billion and P2.9 billion in June and Botswana is grappling with an annual food import bill of P8 billion. The findings emphasise that while the ban on the importation of certain vegetables government imposed in January has significantly lowered the import values for these commodities, the overall food import bill has largely remained unaffected.

Statistics Botswana information also depicts that there was a marked escalation in June this year mainly due to higher imports of sugars and sugar confectionery which rose to P1.1 billion from P40.5 million in May.

Food imports in July slowed down to P938.5 million, which while lower than June, was still one of the highest monthly figures in 2022. Throughout 2022 items such as cereals, maize, rice, sorghum, as well as beverages, spirits and vinegar have topped the monthly food import bill.

But despite this slow progress, Government has not been derailed from plans to impose bans and insists that additional items will be added over time. In recent times Government has indicated that restrictions will also be placed on processed foods which can be produced locally. Minister of Agriculture Molebatsi Molebatsi has told Parliament that his Ministry believes that the ban on vegetable imports will ultimately result with reduction in import bill.

“A further cut spending on food imports could be realised in a few years to come as various initiatives are being implemented to develop and expand the local food manufacturing sector,” he said.

He noted that the selected vegetable imports are already having a positive contribution to reduction on food import bill.

“In the last six months in 2022, we have ensured that a significant part of money spent on food imports, is now circulating in our country, instead of sending it to food suppliers outside Botswana,” he added. His sentiments were reiterated by senior official in the Ministry of Agriculture Mmoloki Khukhutha who in August told media that government is closely monitoring changes in statistics in local vegetable production and there are signs that production from local farms have increased tremendously. “We have seen an increase in quantities produced by existing commercial farmers while new farmers also started producing to fill the gap created after introducing the import ban on selected vegetables,” he said. He also shared that vegetables confirmed to have increased in production quantity are potatoes and onions while tomatoes which are seasonal, increase in supply by end of September. A farmer in the horticulture sector, Kesego Mokgethi said Government is really trying and Batswana have to play their role. “Local production is key to boosting the local economy and ensuring that Botswana plays a role in the regional economy. Slow progress is still progress and we are grateful that we are being recognised and given the necessary support because farming is not easy; it is expensive and laborious and we have many challenges that include climate change which affects rainfall and temperatures, and poorly trained labour force.”

But he insisted that the industry is lucrative across the value chain. “We just need to adjust to the times and be more innovative and also include modern technologies that improve and refine output of the produce. “This ban exercise is new to us and it takes time to open up the industry but there are great prospects.”