The Grape Growers Association has highlighted several challenges facing the industry, such as restrictions preventing the export of selected products to neighbouring South Africa.
Others include stringent chemical import and registration requirements and rejection of work permit applications for skilled industry workers.
It also voiced concern over plans to reclassify the lower Orange River, which is the farmers' water source, to class three.
The association's members in the Aussenkehr Grape Valley farm shared the concerns with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah during a meet-and-greet session at the farm.
The grape growers called for immediate interim government intervention while efforts continue to establish a body to tackle the industry challenges.
Chairperson of the Grape Growers Association, Nico van der Merwe explained that “the core functions of this body would be industry capacity building, trade policy, sanitary and phytosanitary alignment, market intelligence and export development, just to name a few.”
Dr Nandi-Ndaitwah noted similar concerns that were raised at the recently held Private Public Forum dialogue.
"These ministers, who are here, they are under strict directives that those red tapes must be cut. You have detailed it here, which is more appreciated because you even mentioned the type of chemicals that you need as a matter of urgency. And I said agriculture is priority number one, and I don't want to lie to the Namibians that we are going use agriculture in order to industrialise this country.”
She also underscored that skilled workers from other countries should train Namibians to ensure knowledge transfer and capacity within the industry.
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries ,Water And Land Reform, Inge Zaamwani also indicated that discussions with the South African counterparts are ongoing to address the export restrictions.
"There are so many things South Africa does in Namibia, more than we export to their country. So that trade balance and deficit must be adhered to; somehow by mutual agreement between countries, they give you this time frame within which you can get your capacity in place. You are saying here you are experiencing difficulty within specialised skills owing to export, import and work permit requirements. So you can also say to South Africa, in the interim while you are building or developing your capacity, let's have an arrangement."
It was revealed that the repeal of the draconian restrictive Agricultural Act also aims to address the grape growers' concerns.