(3 Minutes Read)
The Namibian government is actively addressing South Africa’s suspension of export permits for Namibian-grown tomatoes, with table grapes also potentially facing a similar ban.
According to Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform (MAFWLR), South Africa revoked export permits for specific perishable goods—such as tomatoes—citing phytosanitary non-compliance, effective from September 2025. Discussions around a possible extension of this ban to table grapes are ongoing.
The issue stems from findings by South Africa’s National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPOZA), which identified shortcomings in meeting plant health standards. Namibia’s equivalent body, the NPPO, has formally requested bilateral talks with NPPOZA to clarify these technical concerns and propose temporary measures to resume trade. While no face-to-face meeting has occurred yet, both parties remain in written communication.
The dispute began on August 11, 2025, when a truck from Sonop Farms was stopped at the border and informed that its export permit had been revoked due to alleged long-term non-compliance with plant health rules. However, Sonop Farms’ CEO, Albert van der Merwe, attributed the issue to an administrative error by Namibia’s NPPO, rather than any actual pest or disease risk.
Later that month, Sonop Farms successfully argued in the Gauteng High Court that the export permit revocation lacked due process and should not have been limited to one producer, especially without formal notification to Namibia or the farm itself.
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Following the court decision, Sonop Farms briefly resumed tomato exports to six South African provinces. However, by September 18, South Africa had announced a full suspension of all Namibian fresh produce export permits, pending further review. Namibian authorities continue to work towards compliance and restoring export activities with their southern neighbor.
