AGRICULTURE NEWS - The lack of action taken to have agricultural import bans imposed by Botswana, and more recently Namibia, lifted is creating a feeling among South African fresh produce farmers that government has failed them.
The bans included South African exports of tomatoes, potatoes, beetroot, cabbages and peppers, among other commodities.
Christo van der Rheede, executive director of Agri SA, told Farmer’s Weekly that these bans did not stem from any wrongdoing on the part of South African farmers, but rather because these countries wanted to “protect their own local production”, even as they continued to export their produce to South Africa.
As such, the trade bans were in direct violation of the Southern Africa Customs Union Agreement, aimed at facilitating free trade among countries in the region.
Read the full article here on the Caxton publication, Farmer's Weekly
