ESWATINI EARNS SA MILK EXPORTS RECORD

MBABANE – Eswatini is among countries that have reportedly helped South Africa to achieve a record of milk exports.

Despite the alarming decrease in farm numbers, South Africa’s dairy industry is said to have increased its milk exports last year to record its highest exports to date, with 87 881 tonnes exported.  The previous year’s figures were at 76 642 tonnes. According to information sourced from the renowned Food for Mzansi site, on a year-on-year basis, exports to Botswana increased by 40.62 per cent to 26 930 tonnes when compared to 2019. The latter was followed by Namibia with 37.85 per cent increase. Eswatini came third with 6.72 per cent. Mozambique was fourth with 1.98 per cent.

Review

Fellow Southern African Customs Union (SACU) member State Lesotho, on the other hand, had its imports decreased by 15.53 per cent in the year under review. Eswatini’s increased dairy imports are recorded at a time when the country is in a bid to protect the blossoming industry. Eswatini Dairy Board (EDB) has proposed that a 40 per cent import levy be charged on all dairy products which are sufficiently produced locally, such as emasi (sour milk), yoghurt, fresh milk and fresh cream. The levy was supposed to kick in on July 1 last year but there were reportedly registered concerns from some of the stakeholders who felt the timing could be bad due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, Dairy Board CEO Dr Tony Dlamini, announced the suspension of the levy until further notice. At the time, he said the sector on its own had not been left unscathed by the devastating financial implications of the economic downturn.

“The Board has to assume its mandate and responsibility to ensure an enabling environment for all dairy industry stakeholders even during circumstances of this nature. It is for this reason that the Board takes this opportunity to notify all stakeholders that the proposed dairy import levy review scheduled for July 1, 2020 has been suspended until further notice,” Dlamini had said. When justifying the move to increase the levy, Dlamini had explained that the country’s dairy industry had realised remarkable improvements in its value chain, particularly in milk production and processing. However, he said the industry was still at an infancy stage and needed protection against competitive pressure from mature and developed economies.

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