South Africa has officially lifted its suspension on selected horticultural imports from Namibia, allowing the resumption of trade in key produce such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, watermelons, pumpkins and squash.
Confirming the development, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Minister Inge Zaamwani said the suspension had caused significant financial losses to local farmers, especially tomato producers, as the affected commodities are highly perishable.
She added that the temporary ban also disrupted grape exports dependent on South African transit routes to reach European markets, threatening more than 20,000 jobs and undermining producer confidence.
“The suspension had caused financial losses to local farmers, particularly tomato producers, as the affected commodities are highly perishable,” Zaamwani said.
“The temporary ban also disrupted grape exports dependent on South African transit routes to reach European markets, threatening over 20,000 jobs and producer confidence.”
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, the National Plant Protection Organisation of Namibia (NPPONA) submitted the required technical documentation to its South African counterpart on 12 August, addressing all concerns related to pest management and product safety.
Despite several rounds of discussions between technical teams, the matter was resolved only after intervention at ministerial and presidential levels, leading to the full reinstatement of permits on 23 October 2025.
“As a result, all previously withdrawn permits have been reinstated, and trade in the affected commodities officially resumed on 23 October 2025,” Zaamwani said.
“This outcome reflects the strength of our plant health systems and the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation between our two nations.”
Zaamwani also raised concern over a serious outbreak of African Migratory Locusts in the Zambezi Region, affecting areas such as Kasaya, Nakabolelwa, Luhonono, Bukalo, Kabbe, Muyako, Masokotwani and Linyanti.
She said the floodplains of Muyako and Old Masokotwani, known breeding grounds for the locust species, have contributed to the rapid spread of the outbreak, which has now reached both the hopper and flying stages, posing serious challenges to containment efforts.
In response, the Ministry has deployed three ground teams equipped with Land Cruiser vehicles, mounted sprayers and hand-held mist blowers to conduct spraying operations across multiple zones.
“To supplement these efforts, the Ministry has mobilised additional vehicles from the Directorate of Veterinary Services and the Programme for Communal Land Development. However, the scale of the outbreak demands broader support,” Zaamwani said.
