NAB to open border for importation of maize

The Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) will open the border on 14 August for the importation of white maize to supplement supplies from local producers.

This was said by NAB chief executive officer Fidelis Mwazi in a notice to millers and producers on 1 August, detailing the availability of locally produced white maize.

He said an assessment conducted on 31 July showed the country had 19 334 tonnes of white maize available, including three weeks of grain stock.

This maize stock was made up of 2 724 tonnes still with the farmers and yet to be marketed, excluding maize from the Zambezi region, and 16 610 tonnes that was with the millers as at 31 July.

Mwazi said the opening of the border for the importation of white maize grain into Namibia will only be permitted once all the locally produced white maize grain available for marketing has been bought by millers, and once all millers have three weeks’ maize stock cover or less.

“The national three weeks’ grain stock for the 2022/23 season is 11 617 tonnes, and the available excess grain as at 31 July was 7 717 tonnes,” said Mwazi, adding that the national daily average white maize grain demand for the period April-June 2023 is 600 tonnes.

Mwazi said producers in Kavango, Karst and Central production zones who still had maize have been given until 11 August 2023 to market their maize to millers who need such maize.

“Producers still harvesting late in August after the commencement of the open border period should notify NAB about their situation,” he said.

According to the notice, about 2 000 tonnes of white maize available in the Zambezi region will be bought by the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (Amta) for national strategic food reserves, and will therefore not prevent the opening of the border for the importation of maize.

Mwazi said permits for the importation of white maize will only be issued by the NAB to millers from tomorrow, but warned millers with outstanding farmers’ payments and statutory levies they would not be issued with import permits until they addressed the issue of non-compliance.

“In line with the white maize marketing agreement, millers who did not buy local maize will only be issued import permits three weeks after the commencement of the open border period, and the NAB will continue monitoring the availability and marketing of locally produced white maize and advise the industry of any changes accordingly,” said Mwazi.

– email: matthew@namibian.com.na.