Encouragement for more Mutete farming: Local juice producer urges expansion
Fredrick Shipipa, the visionary behind the locally crafted Mutete Juice, is advocating for an increase in mutete farming among Namibian agriculturalists. Shipipa, who serves as the Managing Director of MYM Trading CC, the parent company of Mutet Juice, asserts that there exists a burgeoning market for mutete, the primary ingredient in the juice.
Shipipa underscores the importance of tapping into Namibia’s conducive environment for mutete cultivation, emphasizing the demand from local food, tea, and beverage producers like himself. “We often face shortages in our production process, particularly with the mutete flower, or calyces. Therefore, we are eager to offer training and support to both new and existing mutete growers,” Shipipa stated.
Highlighting the recent shortage in dried calyces, Shipipa revealed that his company had to import 100kg of calyces from Zimbabwean farmers in February. To address such shortages and promote food sufficiency, MYM Trading plans to empower farmers, including subsistence ones, by providing fair compensation for their mutete.
Theophilus Hamukoto, a hibiscus farmer based in Kavango, echoed Shipipa’s sentiments, stressing the need for more players in the market to meet the demand for mutete products. Hamukoto, who has been supplying mutete to various manufacturers for three years, emphasized the importance of embracing diversification in agriculture.
MYM Trading elucidated on the characteristics and distribution of hibiscus, known locally as mutete, highlighting its prevalence in regions spanning from Windhoek to Opuwo and Oshakati, including areas within the Etosha National Park and parts of the northern Kalahari Desert.
“The widespread use of mutete in local cuisine, particularly in regions like the Okavango Delta, underscores the necessity for expanded cultivation to mitigate shortages faced by food manufacturers,” MYM Trading stated.
Mutete Juice, known for its health-conscious profile devoid of preservatives and additives, has garnered popularity in over 15 supermarkets across Namibia. With increasing demand, plans are underway to expand the availability of nutritious juice in more retail outlets across the nation.
