Walvis Bay – Namibia marked a significant milestone in its agricultural sector by initiating the export of its first-ever shipment of homegrown table grapes to European countries. The event took place on Wednesday at the port of Walvis Bay. The consignment, comprising 250 containers of grapes produced in Aussenkehr, was facilitated by the Namibia Grape Company (NGC), a subsidiary of the National Youth Service (NYS), in partnership with Capespan Namibia. In 2021, the NYS acquired NGC through a donation from the Namibian Government, aiming to integrate the company as a subsidiary for financially supporting the service’s training programmes for youth. Minister of Youth and Sports Agnes Tjongarero, during the commissioning ceremony, highlighted this initiative as a key step in the country’s economic growth and localisation of logistical services.
According to Namibian Press Agency (NAMPA), NGC Chairperson Richwell Lukonga praised the collaboration with Capespan for localising critical processes such as shipping and transportation. Namport’s CEO Andrew Kanime underscored the export as part of Namibia’s goal to become a major logistics hub in the region, contributing to economic development and poverty alleviation.