The Namibian Agriculture Board (NAB) has called on all white maize grain producers to submit the yield they plan to sell during the 2024 marketing season.
According to a notice issued by NAB CEO Fidelis Mwazi, in accordance with the Agricultural Industry Act and the Grain Marketing Regulations, all registered producers must submit expected production information for regulated crops before the start of the marketing season. There is an obligation to provide it to NAB.
Mwazi said the directive was designed to enable NAB to efficiently promote the marketing of locally produced grains.
“We hereby appeal to registered farmers who intend to sell white maize grain to processors and silo operators to submit their expected crop production data collection form to NAB,” he says.
NAB spokesperson Auguste Fabian further explained the requirements, saying it was important for producers to provide expected yield figures so that NAB could effectively enforce import restrictions. Ta.
“If there is sufficient local production, we can close borders and prioritize the consumption of locally produced produce before considering imports. Without this information, the effectiveness of these import restrictions is uncertain. will be negatively affected,” she says.
Fabian said farmers' submission of expected yields will help NAB produce accurate grain production forecasting reports that inform the industry of local production trends.
Regarding the expected changes in yield due to drought, Fabian said: “To maintain data accuracy, NAB conducts field investigations to confirm the validity of the information collected.”
Mwazi warned farmers who do not submit completed forms by the specified deadline that they will not be allowed to sell their grain until the completed forms are submitted to NAB.
The deadline for submission of projected crop production data collection forms from the Kavango, North Central, Karst, Central and Southern regions is March 15, and the deadline for the Zambezi region is April 30.
“We encourage new and unregistered farmers to first complete the Producer Registration Form and then the Expected Crop Production Data Collection Form, which can be accessed from the NAB website ,” says Mwazi.
– Email: matthew@namibian.com.na
Stay up to date with The Namibian, your trusted source of journalism. Detailed reports and opinions are available at Monthly N$85. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe now!
