Great opportunities for citrus cultivation in Botswana

Published 2022년 5월 13일

Tridge summary

Botswana is experiencing a surge in citrus cultivation with many growers importing seedlings, in line with the Ministry of Agriculture's goal to allocate 10,000 hectares of land for citrus farming. One notable project, located near Selibe-Phikwe, is backed by South African investors and is expected to generate over €39.3 million in foreign investment. The project, which will plant various citrus fruits such as Star Ruby grapefruit, Eureka lemons, and Valencia oranges, aims to satisfy both local and export markets by 2024. This initiative is designed to address Botswana's issue of citrus supply shortage, where the nation currently imports about 25% of the citrus consumed.

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Original content

In a recent update on citrus cultivation in Botswana, agricultural adviser Oarabile Letsatsi said that in 2020 and 2021 an increasing number of growers were importing citrus seedlings to start production. In an effort to boost citrus production in Botswana, the Ministry of Agriculture had set aside 10,000 hectares of land deemed suitable for citrus cultivation. According to Deputy Agriculture Minister Molebatsi Molebatsi, one of the projects that is expected to start cultivation soon is a capital-rich project, targeting both the local market and the export markets, including the US and the UK. Molebatsi said the Ministry of Agriculture is supporting these citrus projects, including this flagship project developed on a 1,200 ha farm near Selibe-Phikwe. He said the Selibe-Phikwe Citrus project was developed by South African investors in conjunction with the Botswana government as a way to boost foreign direct investment and build an export-led economy. “The project is expected to ...

Source: AGF