Food imports surge to P2.9bn in Q1

Counting costs: Government has stepped up efforts towards food self-sufficiency  PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
Counting costs: Government has stepped up efforts towards food self-sufficiency PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG

The value of food imported into the country reached P2.9 billion in the first three months of the year, up from P2.4 billion over the same period in 2021, figures released this week by Statistics Botswana indicate.

Food imports in the first quarter of this year ranged from a low of P845.7 million in January to a peak of P1.2 billion in March, compared to a low of P720.8 million in February and a peak of P881.2 million in the first quarter of last year.

The data agency's figures do not indicate whether the higher food imports for this year are as a result of inflation, which averaged 10.4% in the first three months of this year, compared to 2.7% over the same period last year.

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