BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Opportunities are available for farmers, as Eswatini Oil Mill Industries (SOMI) wants to buy soya beans from the agriculturalists.
However, the farmers have to wait a bit, as the National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBoard) is still piloting the cultivation of the soya beans in the country. The intention is to identify areas in which the soya beans can produce bumper harvests.
Speaking to Eswatini Broadcasting and Information Services (EBIS) today (Monday, November 11, 2024), NAMBoard Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bhekizwe Maziya stated that the pilot was done for the first time last year. Maziya said the pilot was done only in one area and the oil content of the soya beans was approved by SOMI.
Maziya said in order for farmers to improve the production of the beans, they had to identify at least one area in each of the four regions of the country. SOMI Director Daniel Shabangu has been quoted by various local media houses, stating that they needed at least 500 tonnes of the soya beans per day. This means farmers have to work hard to ensure there is enough beans to be sold to the Matsapha-based company.
In 2022, it was reported that farmers will be in an opportunity to have a share in market of about E1.5 billion per year, if they would be able to adequately supply the soya beans to SOMI.