Mahangu marketing on cards

OKAPYA – The Namibia National Farmers Union (NNFU), in conjunction with Mahangu Market Intelligence Unit (MMIU), Sorghum Task Team and Agronomic Board, has taken initiatives in supporting the marketing of mahangu in the country.

President of the NNFU, Manfred Rukoro, revealed this while speaking at the Okapya cattle post in the Oshikoto Region, where the Mangetti Farmers Association (MFA) held its cattle show over the weekend. Rukoro was responding to the Chairperson of the MFA, Ismael Shailemo, who called on the authorities to ensure that a market for mahangu products was created locally and internationally.According to Rukoro, member co-operatives of the NNFU are already marketing their mahangu to the millers in the country.”This mahangu marketing project has started to yield some good results and would need to be expanded,” Rukoro pointed out.He also revealed that the NNFU is constructing a collection centre for mahangu at Omuthiyagwiipundi in the Oshikoto Region, which would be ready for the next harvest.Rukoro commended the Agriculture, Water and Forestry Ministry for the support it continues to render to the process of mahangu marketing and especially with the recent achievement that mahangu is now a controlled crop.”We urge farmers including the MFA to support the requirements of controlling mahangu,” Rukoro stated, adding that this may result in levies at selling points.He, however, expressed the NNFU’s confidence over the levies to be charged saying it will be reinvested in the production and marketing of mahangu to the benefit of farmers.Information and Broadcasting Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, speaking at the same occasion, said the Government had resolved that nobody would be allowed to import mahangu from other countries without permission.Nandi-Ndaitwah said this was part of the Government’s efforts to regulate the marketing of mahangu and to limit the buying of mahangu from outside while it is locally available.Mahangu is a staple food for many families in northern Namibia.-NampaRukoro was responding to the Chairperson of the MFA, Ismael Shailemo, who called on the authorities to ensure that a market for mahangu products was created locally and internationally.According to Rukoro, member co-operatives of the NNFU are already marketing their mahangu to the millers in the country.”This mahangu marketing project has started to yield some good results and would need to be expanded,” Rukoro pointed out.He also revealed that the NNFU is constructing a collection centre for mahangu at Omuthiyagwiipundi in the Oshikoto Region, which would be ready for the next harvest.Rukoro commended the Agriculture, Water and Forestry Ministry for the support it continues to render to the process of mahangu marketing and especially with the recent achievement that mahangu is now a controlled crop.”We urge farmers including the MFA to support the requirements of controlling mahangu,” Rukoro stated, adding that this may result in levies at selling points.He, however, expressed the NNFU’s confidence over the levies to be charged saying it will be reinvested in the production and marketing of mahangu to the benefit of farmers.Information and Broadcasting Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, speaking at the same occasion, said the Government had resolved that nobody would be allowed to import mahangu from other countries without permission.Nandi-Ndaitwah said this was part of the Government’s efforts to regulate the marketing of mahangu and to limit the buying of mahangu from outside while it is locally available.Mahangu is a staple food for many families in northern Namibia.-Nampa