Africa-Press – Botswana. Production of seeds is paramount as Botswana seeks to make headway in the production of vegetables, Minister of Agriculture, Mr Fidelis Molao has said.
He said this on July 29 during a tour of Silver Horizons farm in Ghanzi. The minister said for the country to come of age in the production of vegetables, it should be able to produce its own seeds.
He told Silver Horizons and other potato farmers that while potato farming was a fairly new undertaking in Botswana, it would be pleasing to one day have its seeds also produced locally.
Regarding the vegetable ban, Mr Molao said while the moratorium on the importation of vegetables would not remain in force indefinitely, government was considering its extension to accord Botswana producers more time to entrench their footing in the industry.
Director at Silver Horizons, Mr Jan Michau, said rumours of a possible ban on the importation of seeds had them worried as that would spell the end of their vegetable farming ventures.
Mr Michau, however, thanked government for the ban on the importation of vegetables, saying it did a lot to protect producers from the stiff competition from farmers from other countries especially South Africa. On the ability of Botswana market to absorb all the locally-produced crop, he said of the vegetables that Silver Horizons produced, onions moved the slowest hence the country eyeing the export market.
He said the limited market for onions locally had caused the company repeated losses, adding that the situation was compounded by the fact that producers had their crop ready for the market at the same time, something which forced prices down.
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