BAMB realises growth in operational sales

Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) recorded total operational sales of P267, 7 million in the financial year 2014/15.

Indicated in its recently released 2014/15 financial report, this is a 34.7 percent growth from the previous operational sales of P198, 7 million. BAMB, which derives its revenue from sale of goods and management fees for the strategic grain reserve, saw its total revenue for the year grow from P209, 8 million to P278, 6million for the reporting period.

The marketing board led by Edison Wotho, who is former Permanent Secretary in the agriculture ministry, purchased a total of 34,104metric tonnes of grain in the immediate past harvesting season. Pulses increased by 2000 metric tonnes from the previous year, while there was a significant drop in sorghum and maize purchases as a result of drought.

“This year for the first time, pulses became the major contributor for the year at 21 percent followed by sorghum at 19 percent. Sorghum has been relegated to second place as a result of low purchases from millers. During the reporting period a lot of Millers closed shop due to financial constraints,” reads the report. Sorghum relegated from 70.7 percent in 2013/14, whilst pulses saw a hike from 5.44 percent in 2013/14 reporting period.

Sunflower constituted to 15 percent whilst maize was trailing at the bottom at 10 percent in 2014/15. The major reason for lower purchases of sorghum during this reporting period was that a lot of millers closed shop due to financial constraints, says the report. Agricultural inputs contributed only 35 percent to total sales during the reporting period.