Mahalapye firm wants to ease govt's P8bn headache

Local is Lekker: Lupro cooking oil is produced in Mahalapye
Local is Lekker: Lupro cooking oil is produced in Mahalapye

In last week’s edition, Mmegi ran a feature on government’s P8 billion headache, referring to the urgent challenge of import substitution in the country. As an example of the challenge, Mmegi revealed that in July, the country imported P24 million worth of sunflower seed oil, while local production has dropped from a high of 16,000 tonnes in 2011 to just 73 tonnes last year. In the article below, local businessman, CHRISTOPHER NAKABALE responds

I feel compelled to write some comments in response to an article, which appeared in the Mmegi newspaper of November 27, 2020 on the above subject.

What government is proposing to do through measures like import substitution to solve the problems of unemployment is exactly what our company, Lupro (Pty) Ltd has been trying to do for the past eight years.

Editor's Comment
Stakeholders must step up veggie supply

The Ministry of Agriculture, local producers, retailers, and industry associations must work together to overcome the obstacles hindering vegetable production and distribution.This collaborative approach is essential to improve the availability, quality, and affordability of vegetables in the market.Firstly, the Ministry of Agriculture should provide support and guidance to local farmers to enhance their productivity and efficiency. This could...

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