Agro-processing plant to reduce horticultural imports
Friday, November 13, 2015
Botswana currently needs 73, 000 tonnes of horticultural products per annum against the only 43, 000 tonnes produced locally.
Briefing members of the Ntlo ya Dikgosi recently, Kebakile said the import bill stood at P1.8 billion annually. The horticultural industry is valued at P700 million hence the need to set up the agro processing plant.
That should concern every Motswana. The implications extend far beyond cattle and farmers. Botswana’s beef industry is a critical pillar of the economy, supporting thousands of households and sustaining businesses along the value chain.The loss of access to lucrative export markets has already demonstrated how quickly an animal-health crisis can become an economic crisis.This is, therefore, not the time for complacency, blame, or political...