WINDHOEK – After the 2014 national maize harvest, mainly from the commercial sector, increased by more than 70 percent to over 72 000 tonnes compared to 2013, all eyes are now on the new planting season which starts in late November, depending on rains.
Last year’s total harvest was just short of the all-time record harvest of 74 000 tonnes in 2012. Production in the communal sector also registered positive gains, mainly on account of a rebound in yields as the planted area remained relatively unchanged in 2014. The second important cereal, mahangu (pearl millet), although lower than the average, also increased by 48 percent to 37 000 tonnes. Despite an estimated overall increase in national production, sporadic rainfall at the end of 2013, and short dry spells in January and early February this year, caused some water deficits and limited larger production gains, particularly in the north-central communal farming areas of Oshana and Oshikoto. In addition, an outbreak of American Bollworms caused some damage to cereal crops.
Namibian producers in the Maize Triangle and other productions areas raked in a record harvest of white maize after the debilitating drought of last year and all eyes are pinned to the skies while contradicting rainfall forecasts for the 2014/15 rain season have been made by various experts. Depending on the rains, the planting season can start late November but can be stretched to January next year if the rains are late as was the case earlier this year. All crop lands need initial rains before the season starts, consistent downpours after planting and then more evenly spread rains once the plants are in bloom. Last season, a total of 30 929 tonnes of dry land and 37 284 tonnes from irrigation land were harvested, and , depending on rain, this could be improved after the new planting season comes to an end later this year.
The favourable situation resulted in the price of maize products decreasing by six per cent in July last year, bringing relief to almost every household in Namibia since maize meal is the premium staple food of the country. Exceptional good harvests next year could see a further drop in these prices.
Namib Mills’ Managing Director, Ian Collard, attributed the decrease to the good rain the country has received this year, making raw materials from wheat producers cheaper. This stabilised the market, because the supply is now sufficient.“This has decreased the raw materials’ cost of Namib Mills, and brands such as Top Score are now more affordable, thus bringing much needed relief to our customers,” he says. The imports of maize from South Africa doubled to about 195 000 tonnes in the 2013/14 marketing year. For the current 2014/15 year, total cereal imports are expected to fall, but remain close to the short‑term average of 215 000 tonnes, reflecting the expected recovery in production.
In total, about 780 000 people were estimated to be food-insecure in 2013, following the impact of the drought, and of those the number of people requiring food assistance was estimated to be 463 581 persons. The Government’s food distribution programme was concluded in March 2013, a period which normally marks the start of the green harvest