🇧🇼BotswanaSouthern Africa
High costs limit turmeric farming participation in Botswana
via Mmegi4 min read
Turmeric production in Botswana faces significant challenges due to high costs, limiting the participation of small farmers. Assistant Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship Baratiwa Mathoothe stated that a hectare of turmeric seeds costs about P64,000, with total input costs reaching approximately P300,000 per season. These costs include certification, traceability, production, and processing for the German export market. Access to finance is also a major obstacle, as many farmers struggle to secure loans for the required start-up capital. Despite these challenges, the Ministry has facilitated 160 farmers in turmeric production for the German export market through a partnership with a German company. However, only 24 farmers have successfully planted for the 2025-2026 season. Crops are currently at various growth stages, with harvesting anticipated between May and June, and export to Germany expected around August to September 2026.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Mmegi.
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