Buoyed by the opening of the selling and buying centre, Letsema Horticultural Market (LHM) in September last year, the sector has seen growing participation, improved produce quality as well as increased public interest. LHM General Manager, Ratsela Molefe, stated that while teething problems are to be expected in any developing industry, the last few months have brought noticeable improvements in standards. “Quality concerns are natural at this stage, but a growing core of committed farmers is beginning to raise the bar in terms of product quality,” he said. Molefe pointed to increased dialogue and interest in horticulture across various platforms, saying it reflects rising awareness amongst both the public and farming communities.
“The consistent increase in registered and approved farmers indicates a promising upward trend in participation and awareness. Farmers are now paying closer attention to food safety and post-harvest practices, while also expanding the variety of produce supplied. “Crops such as tomatoes, watermelons, cucumbers, onions, and garlic are currently being supplied in significant quantities," he added. However, the sector is not without its challenges with recent summer rains, while welcome in terms of water supply, disrupting farming activities. Cropping plans were delayed while access to fields became difficult, and logistics chains interrupted. Potatoes, in particular, have been in short supply due to harvesting complications. Floods in some parts of the country have further exacerbated the situation, affecting numerous farming projects. Amidst the setbacks, Molefe remains optimistic that the sector has the potential to meet local demand especially for high-demand produce provided farmers receive the financial support needed to grow their capacity. “With the right investment, farmers can achieve excellence and help stabilise the sector,” he said.
Letsema is currently developing a strategy aimed at registering 2, 000 small, medium, and micro enterprise (SMME) farmers by December 2025. Molefe revealed efforts are also underway to increase market access and strengthen supply chains. As the market transitions from its project phase into full operations, a new engagement programme is being designed to ensure a seamless shift and reinforce Letsema’s role in driving sector growth. The horticultural market was revived last year, following government’s vegetable import ban initially introduced to promote local production. The restriction faced criticism from sections of the public and importers. Originally, the ban targeted 16 vegetables including onions, tomatoes, and butternut amongst others. In response to the outcry, the new administration has partially lifted the ban on certain produce items such as turmeric, pumpkin, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, gem squash, baby marrows, mushrooms, sweet melons, eggplant, calabash, and cantaloupe. However, the lifting of the partial listing of the moratorium has not been implemented as it needs to be gazetted first.
