Import ban triggers vegetable price hikes, shortages

There has been a shortage of potatoes and tomatoes since the import ban last year
There has been a shortage of potatoes and tomatoes since the import ban last year

The government’s decision to ban a number of imported solanaceous crops such as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and beetroot has triggered price increases and a shortage of the commodities.

Effected last December through the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security, the ban prohibits the importation of tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, bell peppers, melon pear and beetroot.

This came after a highly destructive insect pest known as tomato leaf miner or tuta absoluta was detected in the Bobirwa, Boteti, Chobe, North East, and North West areas.

Editor's Comment
Oh what a State funeral!

That rare sight deserves heartfelt praise, not only for President Duma Boko and his administration, but also for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), the Mogae family, and the entire country.President Boko’s decision to grant a full state funeral to a man who belonged to a rival party was a mark of true statesmanship. He recognised that national leadership carries a weight that belongs to the whole...

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