A slump in production and failure by local producers to meet domestic demand forced Namibia to import cereal grains worth over N$862.9 million. 

Maize, wheat and rice top the list of highest imported grains. 

The cereal grains were mainly imported from South Africa, which supplied about 61.1% of the country’s needs. 

Lithuania (20.0%) and United States of America (7.2%) follow in second and third places as the leading suppliers of Namibia’s cereal grains.

The latest statistics are contained in the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA)’s trade bulletin, which covers the country’s agricultural import and export activities for the final quarter of 2024 and earlier this year. 

For the period under review, Namibia imported maize worth over N$564.7 million, followed by wheat, valued at N$277.1 million, and rice of over N$4.5 million. 

In comparison, the recorded cereal grains imports of N$862.9 million marks an increase when compared to the N$519.9 million observed during the corresponding quarter of 2023.

On the production side, the total agronomy output of Namibia during the fourth quarter of last year stood at 4 758 tonnes compared to 18 928 registered in the corresponding quarter of 2023, which translates into a decline of 74.9% in the production levels.

The NSA said the decline is attributed to wheat and millet, which recorded negative growths of 83.7% and 45.0%, respectively. 

Also, during the fourth quarter of 2024, the production of white maize stood at 1 819 tonnes, compared to 1 023 tonnes recorded in the same quarter of 2023, which represents an increase of 77.9% in local production levels. 

Wheat production recorded 2 907 tonnes, compared to 17 847 tonnes produced in the corresponding quarter of 2023. 

Millet recorded 32 tonnes compared to 59 tonnes in 2023. On the export side, sluggish production levels were recorded within the local sector, which saw the country exporting agronomy products worth a paltry N$855 000, marking an increase from the N$610 000 recorded in the same quarter of 2023. 

Export earnings were solely from maize, which accounted for 100% of the total export earnings.

The main export route for the country’s cereal grains during the reviewed period was Angola.

Horticultural products

In the same trade bulletin, the NSA reported that Namibia exported horticultural products valued at over N$1.4 million.

This is a slight increase when compared to N$1.6 million that was exported in the same quarter of 2023. This translated to an increase of 3.3%.

During the period under review, grapes were the top exported products, amounting to N$1.3 million, followed by tomatoes at N$23.2 million and watermelons in third place at N$17.2 million.  Netherlands was the main export destination for the country’s horticulture products, accounting for 36.6%.

It was followed by the United Kingdom at 23.8%.  Germany took in 9.3% of the country’s horticulture products. 

On the import side, Namibia imported horticulture products valued at over N$328.7 million, a decline when compared to the N$338.1 million that was recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2023. 

Potatoes were the highest imported product during that period, amounting for N$47.3 million of total horticulture products that the country imported.

It was followed by apples at N$34.8 million, tea leaves valued at N$14.8 million and vegetable seeds worth N$14.6 million as well as banana valued at N$13.4 million.

The products were mainly sourced from South Africa, which supplied over 95.7% of Namibia’s domestic horticultural needs. 

– ohembapu@nepc.com.na