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The Otjimbele Agriculture Project will start commercial production of ITUM table grapes next year.With the first commercial harvest of ITUM table grapes set for 2025, the initiative is bringing farming and food production to the country’s Omusati Region, historically overlooked for such ventures.
The Otjimbele Agriculture Project will start commercial production of ITUM table grapes next year. With the first commercial harvest of ITUM table grapes set for 2025, the initiative is bringing farming and food production to the country’s Omusati Region, historically overlooked for such ventures.
Otjimbele CEO and Founder Carlos Lertxundi Aretxaga said the project aims to establish Northern Namibia as a new hub for high-value crop production, creating jobs and reducing the country’s dependence on imported produce.
Next year will mark our first commercial harvest, though it will still be relatively small. The market response has been very enthusiastic, and the goal for this project is to fill a gap in the supply window. Being in the far north, Otjimbele aims to supply grapes when unavailable in Namibia or South Africa. Currently, grapes are being sold primarily in Namibia, but as production increases, he anticipates exporting to South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, and Angola, as local demand may not be able to keep up.
Last September, Otjimbele established a 15-hectare trial plot, and are currently harvesting and selling the grapes locally and in Namibia. This is the first harvest, achieved within 12 months, which is notable because most grape growers only see a harvest two to three years after planting. He said that advanced cultivation methods have allowed us to produce grapes earlier, proving that Otjimbele can grow grapes in the northern region.
Located on 300 hectares within the Etunda Green Scheme Irrigation Project, the Otjimbele initiative began as a strategic reinvestment in a former asparagus agro-processing site.The project has since expanded to include table grapes and other high-demand crops like maize, sweet potatoes, and watermelons.
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With a joint venture between Namibian and Spanish investors, Otjimbele is leveraging technology from Spain’s ITUM Research Institute to cultivate seedless grape varieties specially adapted to withstand the harsh northern climate. Currently, the project has created around 150 direct jobs, with plans to increase its workforce to 350-400 employees year-round.
