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About 70% of produce from the Selebi Phikwe Citrus (SPC) project is expected to hit the international market, while the remaining will be sold to the local and the SADC region. This will significantly contribute to Botswana’s effort to diversify earnings from diamond dependency into multi earnings.
Selibe Phikwe citrus farm which is about 1500 hectares in size, with 1200 hectares developed for fruit production, 888 hectares planted with over 800 000 different citrus cultivars is expected to dispatch 2400kg’s of lemon fresh fruitswhich are to be dispatched weekly to the Middle East and 3600Kg’s to be sold in the domestic market for the month of March 2024.
This was revealed by the Minister of Agriculture Fidelis Molao yesterday during a press conference. He cited that the government of Botswana has concluded a protocol market with the European Union for exportation of citrus fruits.
He noted that the department of plant health is currently in negotiations with different protocol market countries for the export of fresh citrus fruits from Botswana to USA, South Korea, Philippines and China adding that the market access will not only be for SPC but rather other citrus producers across the country.
“The magnitude of this project increases the country’s horticulture production, as it provides opportunities for producers to sign contracts with markets. I therefore, wish to appeal to Batswana to enter the citrus fruit production space as there is an already secured market,” Molao said.
Molao revealed that Botswana currently has 172 citrus growers, with over 90% of these being small scale farmers that produce citrus on less than 5 ha of land. Such growers Molao has indicated could be found in areas such as amongst others Letshibitse, Loologane (Kweneng), Lentsweletau, Tutume, Chobe, and they are mostly in to Citrus production.
He encouraged small scale farmers to utilise the Horticulture Impact Accelerator Subsidy in order to accelerate their citrus projects and take advantage of the already available local and international markets.
“I encourage Batswana to get in touch with SPC investors to get to know more about the business and to explore the various opportunities available for them in the citrus farming business and the value chains available,” Molao emphasised.
