Windhoek – Namibian horticulture producers and traders in horticulture fresh produce will gather in Outapi in the Omusati Region on October 30 for the annual National Horticulture Day (NHD).
The NHD has become an important day on the horticulture calendar in the Republic of Namibia because it recognises the important contribution that Namibian producers make toward substituting imports of commodities that can easily be cultivated within our own borders. Traders, retailers and caterers who purchase fresh fruit and vegetables will also be recognised for their contribution toward buying locally produced fruit and vegetables before looking to import the same commodities from elsewhere.
“This synergy between producers and traders is crucial toward strengthening and sustaining the Namibian Horticulture Market Share Promotion,” says Fidelis Mwazi, National Horticulture Manager at the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB). “Producers in Namibia have proven their capacity and capability over the years in being able to increasingly meet the demands that traders, retailers and caterers have to meet market demand. From a food security point of view, it is important to nurture this relationship and reward the strides that have been made thus far,” he point out. The NAB has organised the National Horticulture Day for the last 11 years and has implemented the Horticulture Market Share Promotion (MSP) since its inception in 2005. Back then, the MSP stood at just 5% and has grown to its present 41.5% as a threshold. The MSP requires that all traders, retailers and caterers buy a minimum of 41.5% of all their fresh fruit and vegetables locally in a given quarter for the data evaluation period before they will be issued permits for import by the NAB. The NAB closely monitors the compliance of all importers of fresh fruit and vegetables and will curtail the imports allowed by traders, retailers and caterers who have not adhered to the agreed minimum of 41.5%. “While the required minimum as a threshold may be revised from time to time, the MSP reached in the June/ July/ August data evaluation period of this year has already reached a record high of 52 % average national MSP – a massive achievement for the horticultural sector in the Republic of Namibia. During this time, producers were able to meet 100% of the needs of the population in the production of onions and the borders were closed for importation of onions from 1 July 2014 and will only open in mid-November if the forecasted production remains unchanged,” says Mwazi. “This performance is a remarkable achievement for Namibian producers and the annual awards are an opportunity for us to showcase the success of those who maximise the yield of their crops and for all producers to get together to share knowledge and ideas,” comments Christof Brock CEO of the NAB.
In another move to highlight and reward performance in production, a new category for the Producer’s Awards will be introduced. In the past, prizes and trophies were awarded only to Large Scale Producers and Emerging or Small Scale Producers. This year, a Medium Scale Category will be introduced to award and recognise producers who do not fall within the specific criteria that define large or small scale production. “We have come to see that there are many producers in this category who also needed to be rewarded for their contribution toward achieving an ever growing horticulture MSP,” says Mwazi, “and it is only fair that all producers, not only those from either end of the production spectrum are recognised,” he concludes. Mwazi further explained that the new traders’ categories were also introduced to ensure that the agents operating in the Fresh Produce Hubs of AMTA are included. There Horticulture Commission Marketing Agent of the Year; Horticulture Licence Wholesaler of the Year as well as Producers Mostly Selling to the Hubs as an additional two categories of producers.
This year, the National Horticulture Day is celebrated in the Omusati Region, the production area of the Small Scale winner. Last year, it was held in the Oshikoto Region, the region of the Large Scale winner and Mr Dirk van den Berg of Farm Uitkoms near Tsumeb, shared his ideas and daily farming practice with producers from all over the country.