Govt cites inability to meet monthly supply demands as key reason for failed export agreement
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
A much-anticipated plan to secure a small stock export market in Saudi Arabia, first announced by former president Mokgweetsi Masisi in 2020, has collapsed before it could take off, President Duma Boko has revealed.
Addressing Parliament during deliberations on the Draft National Agriculture Policy for the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, Boko said the deal failed primarily due to Botswana’s inability to meet the scale of demand required by the Saudi market.
UNREALISTIC DEMAND LEVELS
Boko disclosed that Saudi Arabia had set a requirement of 500,000 small stock per month a figure he described as unrealistic given Botswana’s current livestock capacity.
He said the country could not produce the volumes needed to sustain such a supply arrangement, adding that even if the agreement had been signed, it would have taken years for Botswana to build up sufficient stock levels.
NEED FOR REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
“The numbers required on a monthly basis are far beyond what Botswana can currently provide,” Boko told Parliament.
He indicated that Botswana could only begin to approach such volumes through strategic partnerships with neighboring countries, cautioning that such arrangements would require careful coordination and long-term planning.
Boko further emphasized the need for increased investment in the small stock sector, saying Botswana must significantly expand its herd if it hopes to participate meaningfully in large-scale export markets in the future.
A DEAL THAT NEVER TOOK OFF
The proposed Saudi Arabian market was initially presented as a major breakthrough for Botswana’s agricultural exports when Masisi announced it in 2020.
However, Boko’s latest update confirms that the deal collapsed before implementation due to feasibility challenges linked to production capacity.
INITIAL PROMISE AND EXPECTATIONS
At the time of the announcement, Masisi said Botswana stood to benefit through growth in the livestock sector and job creation across farming, transport, and veterinary services.
He had indicated that preparations and paperwork were underway, raising expectations that the agreement would soon materialize.