Potato scarcity stirs Parliament to a fracas
Member of Parliament for Francistown West, Ignatius Moswaane recently caused a brouhaha in Parliament when he accused some politicians and business owners of colluding in potato sales, yet were failing to deliver.
Moswaane lost it and caused a fracas, when he said the Government’s “corrupt officials” were failing to deliver on promises made to Batswana as they were too busy engaging in dubious corrupt dealings. “Corruption ya bone ke yone e tswetseng ditapole (their corruption is what led to the ban on potato imports and subsequent shortage of potatoes),” he fumed.
Moswaane said some corrupt politicians colluded to work with business people to implement the ban so that their farming businesses would benefit, but it was backfiring as Batswana are the ones suffering the most. He argued that the ban on vegetables was strategically imposed so that it would benefit some individuals who are in the horticulture sector, but it was becoming evident that the ploy was failing, as the business struggles to meet the demand for vegetables, particularly potatoes.
Of all the vegetables, the potato is the one that has experienced a marked shortage. The worst part is that prices have shot through the roof ridiculously. When you do find potatoes, you are likely to pay about P140 on average for 10kg. This is a rise from about P80, being the most expensive, just a few months ago. Scores of people are flocking along the Oodi-Phakalane road, where a single bag of potatoes sells for about P90.
In fact, in recent weeks, potatoes have become scarce in most outlets, with some supermarkets and stores even going without them on the shelf.
While localisation is favoured by some who believe that it should push local farmers and suppliers, and ultimately benefit farmers, others contend that Government should have given farmers time to comply with agricultural practices and hygiene standards.
Vegetable smuggling has become common, with quick thinking suppliers and vendors creating a “black market” to meet the demand for potatoes. Who would have thought a mere potato would become such a controversial and sought after commodity.
One supplier said some people were forced to smuggle and hike prices to keep their businesses afloat. “People don’t eat politics and policies, we eat food. It is noble that Government wants to create a self-reliant agriculture production and supply system, but the oversight was carrying it out without thorough consultation and preparation. You cannot just close borders for importation on an essential commodity without giving the affected stakeholders some time to prepare adequately. Government should plan ahead, and for example, say in 2024, we will no longer be importing vegetables – this would give farmers ample time to put in place mechanisms to reach the targets, and also benchmark from other farmers who are successful in this regard. Beefing up production is an important element of ensuring that we meet the demand.” Many mobile kitchens are closed just because of potatoes. Many make money from selling ma-fresh (fresh fried chips). Mapula Tlotlegang said that she was forced to halt production of her business because of the inconsistent supply of potatoes.
“Some days I would get some, other times not, so I decided to sell other stuff but later decided to close because I am not making as much as I did from fresh chips. It is a headache to be running around looking for potatoes.”
But it appears that it is not only expertise and production targets that farmers and Government should worry about because climate change impacts are also making it more difficult for farmers to reach demand. It is not only potatoes that are in short production and supply, but also sorghum, maize and wheat, which is experiencing declining production and reserves.
A recent report from United Nations (UN) presented by the intergovernmental panel on climate change titled ‘Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability,’ indicates that climate change has significantly reduced crop yields in Africa, with wheat and maize being among those negatively affected in the sub-Saharan Africa region. The report indicates that in Africa, climate change has reduced agricultural productivity growth by 34 percent since 1961, the highest in comparison to other regions around the world. The report notes: “Future warming will negatively affect food systems in Africa by shortening seasons and increasing water stress. The global warming of above 2C will also result in yield reductions for staple crops across most Africa.”