AMTA struggles with glut

The N$53 million government funded Agro Marketing Trade Agency (AMTA) this week at its second Annual General Meeting reported N$2.7 million in benefits to producers and a 1.4% levy to the Namibia Agronomic Board of N$ 43 400.
A total of 1625 tonnes to the value of N$ 3.1 million was marketed through the two 5 000 square meter Rundu and Ongwediva Fresh Produce hubs with throughput of 863 tonnes at N$ 1.3 million and output of 762 tonnes bringing in N$ 1.8 million for the latter.
During the Annual General Meeting, AMTA Board Chairperson, Abraham Nehemia, said the agency is struggling with the issue of oversupply and is working towards a solution with produces while floor agents’ marketing skills leaves much to be desired.
AMTA recorded a net deficit of NAD 2.4 million for the year under review. N$176 Million of assets for 2015 with an equity deficit of N2.4 million and liabilities of N$179 million, the previous year assets recorded at N9$2 million, N$89 million in liabilities and N$5.6 million in surplus. The Deficit is due to increased staff component from 53 to 153 which increased the total liabilities.
The main produce sourced were potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cabbages, butter-nuts, watermelons, gemsquash, carrots, green peppers, sweet potatoes. AMTA claims that not a single kilogram of these were imported, all were sourced from Green schemes run by AGRIBUSDEV from Olushandja, Salem, individual commercial farmers, National Youth Service projects and small scale producers.
Grains procured during the reporting period amounted to 12934 tonnes, white maize 12448 tonnes and Mahangu 486 tonnes. The Office of the Prime Minister Drought and Disaster relief programme received 627 metric tonnes comprising of 592 metric tonnes of white maize and 35 tonnes of Mahangu. A separate 639 metric tonnes was sent to millers for processing.
According to Nehemia, the aim is to have the National Strategic Food Reserves in various regions where AMTA built silos at a capacity of 67 000 tonnes enough for six months at any given time with the current capacity at 18900 tonnes.
The silos reported the following capacities in metric tonnage. Omusati Tsandi 3000 tonnes, Ohangwena’s Okongo 500 tonnes, Oshikoto’s Omuthiya 4000 tonnes, Kavango East’s Rundu 4000 tonnes, Zambezi’s and Katima Mulilo at 7400 tonnes.