Ban on maize imports reportedly lifted
A ban on the import of maize and related maize products issued by the agriculture ministry last Wednesday has reportedly been “unofficially withdrawn,” according to industry sources.
However, officials in the ministry could not confirm this on Monday.
No clarity could be provided on when an official withdrawal might be expected either.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Simon Nghipandulwa, said Monday he is waiting for the ministry’s statement to be signed before it is officially released.
The ministry earlier pointed to an outbreak of cob rot disease in palm products and Goss’s bacterial wilt in the South African provinces of Free State, Mpumalanga and North West.
Harvests impacted
This comes after the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reported last year that Namibia’s grain production was about one-third below the five-year average due to poor rainfall and extreme temperatures during the rainy season.
“A smaller maize harvest is responsible for the majority of the decline in total grain production, reflecting the crop’s high sensitivity to water shortages (in general) compared to millet and sorghum, the two other key grain crops,” the FAO report stated.
Given that Namibia imports an average of two-thirds of its grain, the FAO has predicted that Namibia will need to import an above-average 330 000 tons of grain during the 2024-25 marketing year due to the scorching drought – most of which will consist of maize for human consumption and animal feed.
“The rate of maize imports in the first five months of the 2024-25 marketing year is nearly double that of the previous year, reflecting the increased import needs,” the FAO report noted.
From October last year to March this year, 1.26 million people will face food insecurity, according to the FAO.
This figure is nearly double what it was during the same period in the previous year.
However, officials in the ministry could not confirm this on Monday.
No clarity could be provided on when an official withdrawal might be expected either.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Simon Nghipandulwa, said Monday he is waiting for the ministry’s statement to be signed before it is officially released.
The ministry earlier pointed to an outbreak of cob rot disease in palm products and Goss’s bacterial wilt in the South African provinces of Free State, Mpumalanga and North West.
Harvests impacted
This comes after the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reported last year that Namibia’s grain production was about one-third below the five-year average due to poor rainfall and extreme temperatures during the rainy season.
“A smaller maize harvest is responsible for the majority of the decline in total grain production, reflecting the crop’s high sensitivity to water shortages (in general) compared to millet and sorghum, the two other key grain crops,” the FAO report stated.
Given that Namibia imports an average of two-thirds of its grain, the FAO has predicted that Namibia will need to import an above-average 330 000 tons of grain during the 2024-25 marketing year due to the scorching drought – most of which will consist of maize for human consumption and animal feed.
“The rate of maize imports in the first five months of the 2024-25 marketing year is nearly double that of the previous year, reflecting the increased import needs,” the FAO report noted.
From October last year to March this year, 1.26 million people will face food insecurity, according to the FAO.
This figure is nearly double what it was during the same period in the previous year.
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