By Deon Schlechter
WINDHOEK – Namib Mills as the biggest millers in Namibia do not foresee any problems regarding the supply of maize meal or any other basic food products in its current basket to Namibian customers.
Food security should thus not be a problem. Affordability thereof can be an issue. This the message from the Managing Director of Namib Mills, Ian Collard, on the eve of the milling season that will start towards the end of June. This is after Namibian white maize producers exceeded all expectations in this year’s vastly improved total expected harvest in the Maize Triangle, and other productions areas. The expectations shot up to 68 213 tonnes after a final assessment by members of the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) while gathering first-hand information from producers enabling them to make a very accurate estimation.
Collard applauds the NAB for a job well-done, saying some 55 000 tonnes of white maize will soon be heading for the markets while the rest will be stored in government silos as emergency food in case of any natural mishap.
The good news comes in the wake of last year’s depleted harvest when the Maize Triangle, known as the Bread Basket of Namibia, produced a mere 35 000 tonnes of white maize during the debilitating drought of 2013. The harvest season was also advanced to the end of June this year due to the very dry January producers had to face.
Collard says Namib Mills has procured sufficient maize for the ensuing year, and even more as they expect consumption to increase as there is limited mahangu available. This year’s harvest will fall just short of the record-braking harvest of 74 000 tonnes in 2012, and Collard says it has to be recognised as an exceptional recovery by white maize producers, who, at one stage during the dry season, started to give up hope as the rains stayed away.
The Maize Triangle is expected to deliver 30 176 tonnes of white maize from 8 079 hectares planted in dry land crop areas and 778 hectares under irrigation. The Kavango will harvest a much needed 17 626 tonnes from 2 203 hectares planted under irrigation. The Hardap region is expected to contribute 9 000 tonnes from 900 hectares planted to the total of 68 213 tonnes of white maize. In the central and eastern parts, 4 212 tonnes of white maize is expected to be harvested from 1 295 hectares planted in dry land areas, and 1 138 hectares under irrigation. The Omusati region will contribute 2 260 tonnes of white maize from 410 hectares planted. The Zambezi’s contribution (where no accurate figures are available) is expected to be 5 000 tonnes of white maize.
Provisional crop estimates indicated that some communal crop producing regions are expecting below average harvest, following poor rainfall performance coupled with damages by American Bollworms. According to farmers, poor
rainfall performance was seen in the forms of sporadic, erratic and insufficient rainfall in the first half of the season as well as serious prolonged dry spells in January and most of February. Poor rainfall performance was felt more in the northern central regions, resulting in poor crop germinations and wilting of crops and subsequently poor expected crop harvest. National cereal production is provisionally forecasted at 122,390 tons, reflecting an increase of 50% higher than last season’s harvest but yet 2% below average. Much of this improvement comes from the commercial areas where most of the production is under irrigation.
Namibia was cited recently as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) country which has recorded the biggest increase in food insecurity with an eleven-fold increase. The 2013 SADC National Vulnerability Assessment Results summery warned that “immediate human assistance is required in such a situation where a country has been identified as having acute food insecurities.” The report concluded that smallholder farmers hold the key to improved global food security.
Collard says Namibia uses .018 per cent (150 000 tonnes) of the global maize consumption of 840 million tonnes, and despite the improved harvest, Namibia will as from this August still rely on South African imports of about 130 000 tonnes to supply in the demand of its population of some 2.2 million people. South Africa has recorded a record-breaking maize harvest of 14 million tonnes; the highest yield since the mid-eighties. Last year, Namibia had to import 170 000 tonnes of maize. Collard does not expect price increases under such favourable conditions with enough maize available, but warns that the affordability of it might become an issue due to various factors such as other neighbouring countries of Namibia not having excess maize available to keep local customers supplied in quantities as expected. A weakened exchange rate will increase prices, as will increased petrol prices, which will have a upward effect on transport of products.
Apart from that, there is exposure, as with everything else, to the increased municipal charges, electricity and other services and increased annual remuneration to employees.
“Namib Mills’ slogan is “Feeding the Nation,” and with the help of every producer and the good work of the NAB, we will certainly be able to do that this year and in the future,” Collard concludes.