Moesi said the effective date for the import restriction of the additional products will be 1st July 2024 until December 2025.

“The grace period is to give farmers time to plant, so that local produce can be available by the time the restriction commences,” said Moesi.

The import restriction first imposed almost two years ago, also applies to tomatoes, carrots, beetroots, potatoes, cabbage, lettuce, garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric, chilli peppers, butternut, water melons, sweet peppers, green mealies and fresh herbs.

In January 2022, Botswana took a drastic decision to ban importation of certain vegetables into the country in order to improve local production and support uptake of local produce.