By Ncaba Ntshakala
Dynamic duo!
The National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBoard) has reported that over 800 metric tonnes of produce worth almost E10 million have been sold to Shoprite through their growing partnership.
NAMBoard made the vast sales with the retail giant in the span of two years. This milestone was revealed during a tour on Tuesday of NAMBoard’s Encabeni Fresh Produce facility by Shoprite officials.
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Present during the tour were NAMBoard’s Chief Executive Officer, Bhekizwe Maziya, Shoprite Eswatini General Manager Pamela Nkomonde, along with representatives from both NAMBoard and Shoprite.
After the team explored the Packhouse at the Encabeni Fresh Produce compound, Maziya expressed gratitude to Shoprite management for their commitment to the partnership.
He highlighted Shoprite’s pivotal role as one of NAMBoard’s largest customers. Maziya disclosed that approximately 30 percent of NAMBoard’s produce is sold to Shoprite.
In 2024 alone, Shoprite’s Freshmark Company purchased 492 tonnes of produce from NAMBoard, which represents a significant increase from the 430 tonnes purchased in 2023. This growth reflects a 14% increase in volume year-on-year.
Notably, the value of the produce sold in 2024 amounted to E4.5 million, compared to E3.5 million in 2023, marking a substantial 28% growth in value.
This growth highlights the competitive prices offered by Freshmark, Shoprite’s procurement arm, further solidifying the mutually beneficial relationship between NAMBoard and Shoprite.
Among the top eight most traded commodities were butternut, tomato, beetroot, green pepper, baby marrow, cabbage, green beans, and onion, which was highlighted as the diverse range of produce supplied by NAMBoard to meet consumer demand.
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In addition to direct sales to Shoprite facilitated by NAMBoard, approximately 16 tonnes of fruits were sold directly by farmers to Shoprite, bypassing the intermediary.
This streamlined process was made possible by logistics support provided by NAMBoard, facilitating the transportation of produce from the Central Encabeni Market to Shoprite stores.
This service, funded by Freshmark through a cost-sharing model, has empowered farmers to sell citrus fruits and mangoes directly to consumers, further enhancing market access and profitability.
