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SA acts on Botswana as veggie-ban dispute spirals

Friday, October 18, 2024 | 2430 Views |

Vegetables produced in Botswana PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG

The South African government has as of May this year heightened standard requirements against vegetables and fresh fruits coming from Botswana trying to enter the South African market, a move experts think could be interpreted as “retaliation”.

Through introducing stricter Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) requirements, the move has been interpreted as a cost-drowning exercise that will squeeze the head of “small economies” experts have revealed.

South African researchers at the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC), a premier agriculture trade promotion agency in South Africa have accused Botswana of violating the South African Customs Union (SACU) agreement on free trade, as Botswana marches on a vegetable ban on 32 vegetable types.

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SA acts on Botswana as veggie-ban dispute spirals

The South African government has as of May this year heightened standard requirements against vegetables and fresh fruits coming from Botswana trying to enter the South African market, a move experts think could be interpreted as “retaliation”.