Namibia imported rice valued at N$31 million in November from Thailand and South Africa.
According to the Namibia Statistics Agency trade statistics released yesterday, the country did not export any rice.
“The current report considered rice as the commodity of the month. The country did not export rice during the period under review.
This is not surprising, given that rice production in Namibia is on a small scale,” says statistician general Alex Shimuafeni.
In November the country’s trade balance, the difference between the country’s exports and imports, recorded a deficit of N$4.4 billion.
This is a big increase when compared to a N$2.9 billion deficit recorded in October.
“The analysis of Namibia’s top trading partners revealed that South Africa emerged as the country’s largest market for both exports and imports,” says Shimuafeni.
A closer review of trade in food items revealed that Namibia was a net exporter (exported more than it imported) of food with a trade surplus of N$291 million and a net importer (imported more than it exported) of beverages, having recorded a deficit amounting to N$251 million.
