Botswana’s decision to extend its ban on importing certain fresh produce from South Africa until 2025 has triggered a diplomatic row between the two neighbors. South Africa has requested an urgent meeting with Botswana officials to discuss the impact of the ban on its farmers and exporters.
Botswana introduced the ban in 2022 on 16 vegetables, such as onions, tomatoes, cabbage, and ginger, as part of its strategy to boost local production and reduce its dependence on food imports. The ban was supposed to expire at the end of December 2023, but Botswana’s agriculture ministry announced that it would be prolonged for another two years and include more items.
South Africa’s agriculture minister, Thoko Didiza, expressed concern over the negative effects of the ban on South African farmers, who rely on Botswana as a major market for their fresh produce. She said the ban violated the trade rules of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional bloc that includes both countries.
According to the SADC Trade Protocol, member states are required to eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers on trade in goods and services within the region. The protocol also provides for special and differential treatment for less developed countries, such as Botswana, to protect their sensitive sectors.
However, South Africa argues that Botswana’s ban is not justified by any legitimate public policy objective, such as health, safety, or environmental protection. Rather, it is a form of protectionism that harms the competitiveness and integration of the regional market.
Botswana, on the other hand, defends its ban as a necessary measure to support its local farmers, who have been struggling to compete with cheaper and higher-quality imports from South Africa. Botswana also claims that the ban has helped to increase its food security and self-sufficiency, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted global supply chains.
According to Botswana’s statistics agency, the country’s vegetable production increased by 12% in 2022, while its vegetable import bill decreased by 18%. Botswana’s agriculture minister, Fidelis Molao, said the ban would be reviewed every two years, but only to add more commodities to the list, not to relax it.
The trade dispute between Botswana and South Africa reflects the challenges and opportunities of regional integration in Africa, where countries have different levels of development and policy priorities. While trade liberalization can foster economic growth and cooperation, it can also create winners and losers, and require adjustment costs and policy coordination.
The EU, which is South Africa’s largest trading partner and a major donor to Botswana, has been supporting both countries to enhance their trade capacity and competitiveness through the Southern African Economic Partnership Agreement (SADC EPA), which was signed in 2016. The agreement provides preferential access to the EU market for Botswana and other SADC countries, while also promoting regional integration and development.
It remains to be seen whether Botswana and South Africa can resolve their trade dispute amicably and following the SADC rules and principles. The outcome of their talks could have significant implications for the future of regional trade and cooperation in Southern Africa.
Source: Bloomberg
