WINDHOEK – In terms of National Food Storage, the National Strategic Food Reserves which the Agricultural Marketing and Trading Agency (AMTA) is mandated to manage, current storage capacity is 18 900 metric tonnes that is 28 percent of the targeted national storage capacity.
AMTA is in the process of expanding the national storage facility to increase its capacity in terms of storage space. At the moment the facilities are 68% fully stocked with grain locally sourced. As the harvesting season is approaching it is expected to receive grain from the Green Scheme projects which are the major suppliers. This year AMTA might not receive much surplus grain from subsistence farmers, this is due to the poor rainfalls received.
As of recent, AMTA has implemented a new organisational component of Standards and Trade Facilitation dealing with Licensing and Inspection, Border Control, Farm and Facilities Inspections, Market Promotion and Research and Food Safety and Diagnostics. These units are operational and stakeholders have been giving their cooperation.