Frost causes tomato, butternuts shortage

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Thursday June 24, 2010 00:00

 

Tsiane Sibanda, secretary of Botswana Horticultural Council told Mmegi yesterday that the country will meet the shortfall by imports from neighbouring countries, mainly South Africa.  'Usually we import most vegetables that we do not have from South Africa because they can still produce in winter.  This is because they have green houses that we do not have,' she said.

She said that in Botswana, only a few farmers have engaged in tunnel production that is suitable in the winter period.  'This system is expensive and not all farmers can afford it.  They have to buy expensive plastics to cover their vegetables, and these are not just ordinary plastics.  So only a handful will be producing tomatoes and butternuts but they cannot produce for the whole country,' she said.

However, the horticultural council is satisfied with the efforts that local farmers have made to produce vegetables.