Cattle exports plummet again in May
Total cattle marketing in Namibia dropped by 61.7% year on year, down from 39 604 in May 2024 to 15 169 in May this year.
Moreover, live exports were down 77.6% compared with May 2024.
According to the recent Market Watch report by the Livestock and Livestock Products Board (LLPB), the majority of live cattle exports went to the South African market (97.14%), with smaller quantities sent to Zimbabwe (1.53%), Tanzania (0.51%), Botswana (0.46%), Angola (0.31%) and Zambia (0.05%).
Weaner auction prices, meanwhile, rose by N$6.86/kg, increasing from N$23.61/kg in May 2024 to N$30.47/kg in May.
Sheep and goats
Total sheep marketing fell by 50.3%, dropping from 112 782 in May 2024 to 56 055 a year later.
Live exports declined by 51.7% year on year.
Export abattoir performance fell by 22% year on year, while B and C class abattoir slaughtering dropped by 55.6%, from 8 726 sheep in May 2024 to 3 875 in May 2025.
The vast majority of live sheep exports (99.48%) were destined for South Africa, followed by Botswana (0.33%) and Tanzania (0.19%).
In the goat sector, total marketing decreased by 18.8%, from 12 728 goats in May 2024 to 10 334 in May 2025.
According to the LLPB, 10 220 goats were exported live during the period under review, down from 12 211 in May 2024.
Exports to South Africa accounted for 97.24% of total live goat exports, followed by Botswana (2.08%), Tanzania (0.39%) and Zambia (0.28%).
Pig sector
In May, 4 383 pigs were slaughtered, a slight year-on-year decrease of 0.34% from May 2024.
Month on month, pig slaughtering rose by 3.47%.
During the period under review, the Mariental and Halooli abattoirs slaughtered 2 880 and 1 199 pigs, respectively.
The LLPB said the Namibian pork ceiling price (PCP) under the pork scheme is currently set at N$51.03/kg.
The PCP is fixed to mitigate the impact of falling South African Red Meat Abattoir Association (RMAA) pork prices, which serve as a benchmark.
Although the calculated ceiling price fell slightly by 0.42% in April, the current PCP is not being applied.
RMAA pork prices declined from N$32.49/kg in April 2025 to N$32.36/kg in May 2025.
Moreover, live exports were down 77.6% compared with May 2024.
According to the recent Market Watch report by the Livestock and Livestock Products Board (LLPB), the majority of live cattle exports went to the South African market (97.14%), with smaller quantities sent to Zimbabwe (1.53%), Tanzania (0.51%), Botswana (0.46%), Angola (0.31%) and Zambia (0.05%).
Weaner auction prices, meanwhile, rose by N$6.86/kg, increasing from N$23.61/kg in May 2024 to N$30.47/kg in May.
Sheep and goats
Total sheep marketing fell by 50.3%, dropping from 112 782 in May 2024 to 56 055 a year later.
Live exports declined by 51.7% year on year.
Export abattoir performance fell by 22% year on year, while B and C class abattoir slaughtering dropped by 55.6%, from 8 726 sheep in May 2024 to 3 875 in May 2025.
The vast majority of live sheep exports (99.48%) were destined for South Africa, followed by Botswana (0.33%) and Tanzania (0.19%).
In the goat sector, total marketing decreased by 18.8%, from 12 728 goats in May 2024 to 10 334 in May 2025.
According to the LLPB, 10 220 goats were exported live during the period under review, down from 12 211 in May 2024.
Exports to South Africa accounted for 97.24% of total live goat exports, followed by Botswana (2.08%), Tanzania (0.39%) and Zambia (0.28%).
Pig sector
In May, 4 383 pigs were slaughtered, a slight year-on-year decrease of 0.34% from May 2024.
Month on month, pig slaughtering rose by 3.47%.
During the period under review, the Mariental and Halooli abattoirs slaughtered 2 880 and 1 199 pigs, respectively.
The LLPB said the Namibian pork ceiling price (PCP) under the pork scheme is currently set at N$51.03/kg.
The PCP is fixed to mitigate the impact of falling South African Red Meat Abattoir Association (RMAA) pork prices, which serve as a benchmark.
Although the calculated ceiling price fell slightly by 0.42% in April, the current PCP is not being applied.
RMAA pork prices declined from N$32.49/kg in April 2025 to N$32.36/kg in May 2025.
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