Every year households across the country gather to celebrate the festive season with one thing in common: food.
The festive starter pack usually involves potatoes, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, meat and rice.
According to the trade statistics, last December, Namibians bought potatoes, mayonnaise and tomato sauce worth N$31 million.
Potatoes, fresh and chilled, made up the majority of that amount at N$16 million, followed by tomato ketchup and other tomato sauces at N$9 million.
Meanwhile, mayonnaise was valued at N$4.4 million.
According to statistician general Alex Shimuafeni, Namibia is a net exporter (exported more than it imported) of food.
Over the period spanning October 2024 to October 2025, Namibia’s overall trade on food items averaged a trade surplus amounting to N$287 million.
“A closer review of trade in food items revealed that Namibia was a net exporter of food with a trade surplus of N$89 million,” says Shimuafeni.
The highest trade surplus was N$792 million, which was recorded in July 2025, followed by December 2024 and June 2025 with N$621 million and N$618 million, respectively.
Meanwhile, deficits were only recorded in two months over this period.
These were in October 2024 (N$212 million) and November 2024 (N$323 million).
On the side of beverages, the country’s imports averaged N$355 million between October 2024 and October 2025, with October having the highest value of N$677 million.
During the same period, exports averaged N$94 million, with the highest export value being recorded in October 2024 at N$143 million, while the lowest value amounting to N$51 million was recorded in September 2025.
“Namibia is a net importer (imported more than it exported) of beverages, having recorded a deficit amounting to N$552 million,” says Shimuafeni.
