Botswana imposed ban on South Africa's fruits imports

 The Botswana government is likely to put more emphasis on reducing imports in order to restrict its imports. Botswana has restricted its fresh fruits and vegetables from South Africa till 2025. This decision is taken in the wake of reforming its agricultural sectoz  1`r and forbidding the reliance on imports. 

This might impact Botswana's trade relations with South Africa. South Africa is a significant supplier of fresh produce to Botswana. This will create heavy loss to South African farmers. According to the Botswana import data, the fresh fruits imports from South Africa were estimated to be around $35 million during last fiscal year. 

Apples, bananas, mangosteens, oranges, pears,  plantain curry, dragon fruit, and peaches are the most imported fruits by Botswana from South Africa. Choppies Distribution was the top fresh fruit import company from Botswana accounting for 25% of the country's overall fresh fruits imports. 

Sefalana fresh produce, Woolworths Botswana, The Square Mart and Bokomo Botswana were the leading fresh fruits import companies from Botswana accounting for the significant amount of fresh fruits imports from South Africa. Whereas, Subtropico, Pick & Pay, Spar North Rand were the leading fresh fruits suppliers from South Africa.

In terms of vegetable imports, Botswana has imported around $28 million worth of vegetables from South Africa in 2023. Botswana import export data shows that the most prominent vegetable imports includes potatoes, tomatoes, seed products, peppers, onion, pumpkins, cucumbers.

Senn Foods, Sefalana Fresh Produce and Yamikani Foods are some of the top vegetable importing companies responsible for the maximum number of shipments from South Africa. The King Fresh, Mccain Foods and Protea Fresh wholesalers were the leading vegetable suppliers from South Africa.

According to the Botswana export data, the country’s most prominent fruits exports includes dragon fruits, mangoes, plums, cranberries, watermelons, dried fruits, lemons, bananas. The country’s overall fruits exports were recorded to be $35 thousand in the last fiscal year. Botswana’s fruits exports were mostly to Namibia, South Africa, India and Zimbabwe. Namibia was the biggest importer of fruits from Botswana. 

South Africa has always been a most favoured destination for Botswana's imports. Botswana customs data shows that the country’s imports from South Africa were estimated to be around $4.5 billion during last fiscal year. Wheat, maize, diamond, petroleum oils, paint, motor cars, cement, motor vehicles  were the most imported goods by Botswana from South Africa.

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