Namibia has imported 81,769 tonnes of maize since April 2023, significantly exceeding its local production of 64,815 tonnes, according to official figures.
According to the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB), the country’s harvest from the 2023-2024 season is estimated to cover approximately 42% of Namibia’s white maize grain demand.
“About 82,957 tonnes is expected to be harvested from 36,082 hectares planted during the 2023-2024 production season and out of the total, 75% (61,954 tonnes) is expected to be harvested from irrigated production, while 25% (21,003 tonnes) from rain-fed areas,” NAB’s Manager for Agronomy Market Development Loide Uahengo said.
On average, Uahengo said the annual national demand for white maize is approximately 180,000 tonnes.
“In 2022, 50% of the local demand came from local production. However, based on the latest forecast statistics, 44% of white maize consumed locally was from local production and 56% from imported maize. All the maize imported during 2023-2024 were imported from South Africa,” she added.
In terms of wheat, she said from April 2023 to November 2023, the total demand for wheat grain stood at 133,778 tonnes of which 88.4% was imported and only 11.6% was local wheat.
“A total of 18,202 tonnes of wheat was expected to be harvested from 2,750 hectares in four production zones (South, Central, Karstland, and Kavango) during the 2023-2024 marketing season. The marketing season for wheat starts from 1 October to 31 January each year,” said Uahengo.
Concerning mahangu, Uahengo said the harvest was heavily affected by persistent droughts. “Only a mere 1,190 tonnes were harvested and marketed in the formal market and 373 tonnes were imported from Angola,” she said.
