Questions multiply about donkey abattoir
Outjo municipal officials this week claimed that a decision whether to sell land to a Chinese company for a donkey abattoir depended on approval from the Directorate of Veterinary Services, a claim the directorate disputes.
Dr Jessey Kamwi, deputy chief veterinarian officer at Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, explained that the directorate only gets involved when an abattoir applies to export its products.
“The local authority has to give them permission, irrespective if it's a local or an export abattoir,” she explained.
Nevertheless, officials at the municipality claimed that the municipality had instructed Fu Hai Trading to apply to Veterinary Services before the council could decide on the sale of land.
But Kamwi said the directorate had not received any application from Fu Hai Trading Enterprises to export donkey meat to Vietnam and other Asian countries listed as potential export markets in the company's business plan.
She added that Namibia did not have an agreement with Vietnam to export meat products, which was a key requirement in such cases.
Outjo CEO Joseph /Urib yesterday said he was under the impression that Fu Hai Trading did require permission from Veterinary Services for opening a slaughterhouse.
He added that the council's decision would depend on whether the abattoir met export requirements and submitted a complete business plan. Objections submitted by concerned residents would also be considered.
The next council meeting is scheduled for 27 March.
Business plan flawed
Several issues have been raised about the application by Fu Hai Trading, including the quality and authenticity of its business plan and accusations that the process has been shrouded in secrecy.
According to sources, the business plan was created using a “five-minute business plan app” and was titled 'Meat Export Business Plan'.
In it, the company states that it aims to export donkey meat to Vietnam and eventually “the whole of Asia” within two years of starting operations.
The content relies heavily on the template text provided by the app, and contains no details of company registration, local business partners, an address or any other contact details.
Despite the plan's questionable standard, the municipality agreed in principle to sell the land to the company. It publicly notified residents of its intention to sell the land last month, and invited interested parties to lodge objections.
Last Friday the Outjo Community Committee handed over a letter listing a number of concerns and objections, as well as a petition that has garnered close to 1600 signatures.
A legal expert who inspected the business plan said the document contained several flaws and lacked basic and critical details, including business registration information, an address or contact details for Fu Hai Trading.
Moreover, the document does not state how the company would adhere to abattoir standards and export regulations.
Questions have also been raised about how abattoir waste would be handled. A few weeks ago, Meatco announced that due to the Okahandja municipality's inability to handle the effluent from their abattoir, they were expected to build their own treatment plant at a cost of N$30 million. The Okahandja plant was subsequently closed and will be used as cold storage.
The Fu Hai Trading business plan claims the target customers for the donkey meat will be “retired military personnel”. It claims it will supply donkey meat to “over 13 regions” in Namibia.
The document also states that the aim is to “expand the market and export meat products to Vietnam” and eventually “the whole of Asia.”
Several sources told Namibian Sun that the application raised concern that the operation could be a front for illegal activities, especially considering that the abattoir would be located in one of Namibia's poaching hotspots.
The business plan's mention of Vietnam, a primary market for rhino-horn smugglers, was also noted.
CEO /Urib this week said the municipality had asked Fu Hai Trading to submit a full and final business plan for consideration by the council meeting at the end of March.
/Urib said the company did have Namibian partners, although he did not have their names.
Dr Jessey Kamwi, deputy chief veterinarian officer at Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, explained that the directorate only gets involved when an abattoir applies to export its products.
“The local authority has to give them permission, irrespective if it's a local or an export abattoir,” she explained.
Nevertheless, officials at the municipality claimed that the municipality had instructed Fu Hai Trading to apply to Veterinary Services before the council could decide on the sale of land.
But Kamwi said the directorate had not received any application from Fu Hai Trading Enterprises to export donkey meat to Vietnam and other Asian countries listed as potential export markets in the company's business plan.
She added that Namibia did not have an agreement with Vietnam to export meat products, which was a key requirement in such cases.
Outjo CEO Joseph /Urib yesterday said he was under the impression that Fu Hai Trading did require permission from Veterinary Services for opening a slaughterhouse.
He added that the council's decision would depend on whether the abattoir met export requirements and submitted a complete business plan. Objections submitted by concerned residents would also be considered.
The next council meeting is scheduled for 27 March.
Business plan flawed
Several issues have been raised about the application by Fu Hai Trading, including the quality and authenticity of its business plan and accusations that the process has been shrouded in secrecy.
According to sources, the business plan was created using a “five-minute business plan app” and was titled 'Meat Export Business Plan'.
In it, the company states that it aims to export donkey meat to Vietnam and eventually “the whole of Asia” within two years of starting operations.
The content relies heavily on the template text provided by the app, and contains no details of company registration, local business partners, an address or any other contact details.
Despite the plan's questionable standard, the municipality agreed in principle to sell the land to the company. It publicly notified residents of its intention to sell the land last month, and invited interested parties to lodge objections.
Last Friday the Outjo Community Committee handed over a letter listing a number of concerns and objections, as well as a petition that has garnered close to 1600 signatures.
A legal expert who inspected the business plan said the document contained several flaws and lacked basic and critical details, including business registration information, an address or contact details for Fu Hai Trading.
Moreover, the document does not state how the company would adhere to abattoir standards and export regulations.
Questions have also been raised about how abattoir waste would be handled. A few weeks ago, Meatco announced that due to the Okahandja municipality's inability to handle the effluent from their abattoir, they were expected to build their own treatment plant at a cost of N$30 million. The Okahandja plant was subsequently closed and will be used as cold storage.
The Fu Hai Trading business plan claims the target customers for the donkey meat will be “retired military personnel”. It claims it will supply donkey meat to “over 13 regions” in Namibia.
The document also states that the aim is to “expand the market and export meat products to Vietnam” and eventually “the whole of Asia.”
Several sources told Namibian Sun that the application raised concern that the operation could be a front for illegal activities, especially considering that the abattoir would be located in one of Namibia's poaching hotspots.
The business plan's mention of Vietnam, a primary market for rhino-horn smugglers, was also noted.
CEO /Urib this week said the municipality had asked Fu Hai Trading to submit a full and final business plan for consideration by the council meeting at the end of March.
/Urib said the company did have Namibian partners, although he did not have their names.
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