Gov’t admits to potato, tomato shortages
Mompati Tlhankane | Monday March 27, 2023 06:00
It’s not like this shortage was not there before the ban. Potatoe shortage gase botlhodi,” he told Parliament yesterday. Molebatsi was responding to a question from Francistown West legislator, Ignatius Moswaane who had asked the Minister of Agriculture to state whether he is aware that there is shortage of certain vegetables in Botswana such as potatoes and tomatoes. In response, Molebatsi said they know that this shortage affects many people especially businesses as they depend on the sale of these vegetables for survival. He said they have realised that whenever there is a shortage there are those who find a way to smuggle these vegetables into the country. “Because the local production would be low, in the past people used to stockpile in order to take advantage of the situation by hiking prices,” he added. On what they are doing to increase production levels across all seasons, Molebatsi said they encourage farmers to plant during different times of the year. According to the junior minister, the country has potato farmers in Gantsi, Pandamatenga and the Tuli Block and they have agreed that each should plant during different periods.
He said they want each producer to practise crop planning and also harvest at different times. Molebatsi pointed out that farmers should approach the ministry in order to export their produce to other countries. On what they are doing to cushion traders during the time when there are shortages, Molebatsi said they have advised farmers to consider installing special storages for where potatoes could be kept for four up to six months. He said that way the nation can be fed the entire year without any gap. A farmer in Tuli Block has already started the establishment of such storage, Molebatsi told legislators. For his part, Moswaane said he is not against the vegetable importation ban but the main issue is that every business thrives on monthly or consistent profits. “If that business is closed for three months how do they pay salaries and bills like rent? Don’t you realise that this decision is collapsing local businesses and drowning Batswana in debts? Do you realise that people end up in prison with some losing their properties and valuables,” he asked the assistant minister.
According to Moswaane those who smuggle vegetables are the wealthy who own large supermarkets chains therefore people in the informal sectors who sell chips lose their businesses as a result. In response, Molebatsi said the short restrictions they used to do in the past didn’t work but the current ban is meant to help Batswana compete with other imports and build the industry. He said now that they have grown by production by 25%, the intention is to reach 100% by next year. “We know that people are feeling the pinch but the bigger picture here is to build the industry that will create wealth and take people out of poverty. This shortage will no longer be there in a couple of months,” he added. Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Dithapelo Keorapetse said there are small scale farmers who are concerned because there is no market where they can sell their produce. “When they try to sell to big factories and supermarkets, they are rejected because these supermarkets produce their own products. Now Batswana are either left with quitting farming or working for these big supermarkets,” he bemoaned.
In response, Molebatsi told Keorapetse that farmers are not giving up but rather the number of those who ventured into horticulture has increased as shown by the sector growing by 25%. However, Molebatsi admitted that it is true that small scale farmers do not have market place where they can sell their produce because they are rejected by big supermarkets. As an intervention, he said the government will come up with school feeding programmes with the local government to augment the situation for small scale farmers.