7 March 2026
AN economist has welcomed Botswana’s decision to lift the ban on vegetable imports from South Africa.
“I am encouraged that the leadership in Botswana has decided to lift the ban on vegetable imports from South Africa,” said Wandile Sihlobo.
Sihlobo serves as South Africa’s Presidential Envoy on Agriculture and Land Reform and is also the Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz). He noted that the new Botswana administration under President Duma Boko appeared committed to ensuring that citizens have access to high-quality agricultural and food products.
With the lifting of the ban, Sihlobo believes consumers in Botswana will benefit from better-priced and high-quality vegetables sourced from South Africa. He highlighted that in November 2024, vegetable prices in South Africa had declined by 2.6%. In contrast, vegetable price inflation in Botswana remained in double digits.
“This speaks to the difficulty households had to endure and the potential benefits of more affordable prices in the coming months,” Sihlobo explained.
The process of lifting the import ban will be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, import restrictions on several vegetables were lifted immediately. The second phase will take effect in April, when restrictions on additional vegetables will be removed. Sihlobo argued that Botswana could improve domestic agricultural production without resorting to import bans.
“I think Botswana could benefit from some of South Africa’s technologies to improve its agriculture,” he said.
Going forward, he advised governments in the region to communicate their agricultural ambitions more clearly and avoid trade-distorting measures that undermine consumer welfare. He also suggested that South Africa, as a major agricultural producer in the region, should continue expanding export markets beyond Southern Africa. This includes exploring opportunities in Asia and the Middle East to strengthen regional agricultural trade.
Meanwhile, Namibia still maintains various restrictions on vegetable imports from South Africa. Sihlobo believes Namibia should follow Botswana’s policy direction and lift these restrictions to strengthen domestic food security.
“This will also be ideal for consumers in Namibia,” he said.
Source: https://shorturl.at/Vt6es
