Mmegi

SA acts on Botswana as veggie-ban dispute spirals

Vegetables produced in Botswana PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
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.

Editor's Comment
Depression is real; let's take care of our mental health

It is not uncommon in this part of the world for parents to actually punish their children when they show signs of depression associating it with issues of indiscipline, and as a result, the poor child will be lashed or given some kind of punishment. We have had many suicide cases in the country and sadly some of the cases included children and young adults. We need to start looking into issues of mental health with the seriousness it...

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