Savanna Beef meat may enter market soon
Although investments by cattle producers in Savanna Beef Namibia (SBP) only closed on 9 September, at an impressive N$169 million – almost 85% shareholding by producers – the first meat under this brand may already be on the market by early next year.
Diethelm Metzger, vice-chairman of the SBP board as well as the Forum for the Beef Value Chain (BVCF), said that if everything goes according to plan, he is optimistic that the Brukarros abattoir will be able to start operations by the end of this year or early next year.
Regarding how the development of Brukarros fits into the picture, Metzger emphasised: "I just want to make it clear: Brukarros is not a Savanna Beef project. This is clearly a BVCF project.
"The benefit for SBP of the Brukarros project, and also the main reason why we are involved in this, is to negotiate and develop a market that will enter the industry earlier and will be able to sell under the Savanna Beef brand."
Benefit to all
Metzger said Brukarros is a joint venture of the BVCF and another party. Although he declined to name the other party at this stage, he revealed that the negotiations are already at an advanced stage.
Metzger said the distance between Brukarros and cattle-producing areas is often mentioned.
"The plan is to drive the cattle to Windhoek, and from there, Brukarros will take over the transport. So, the producer only delivers his cattle in Windhoek, where they have to remain for a while as part of our export protocol. They must not drive too long. After that, the slaughterhouse handles further transport.
"The other thing that is important: the south is also coming out of a drought like the rest of Namibia. However, it potentially has enough cattle to utilise Brukarros at full capacity. The development of Brukarros will therefore benefit cattle producers in the south," he explained.
He said they intend to slaughter about 120 cattle per day at Brukarros, or about 22 000 to 24 000 cattle per month.
Diethelm Metzger, vice-chairman of the SBP board as well as the Forum for the Beef Value Chain (BVCF), said that if everything goes according to plan, he is optimistic that the Brukarros abattoir will be able to start operations by the end of this year or early next year.
Regarding how the development of Brukarros fits into the picture, Metzger emphasised: "I just want to make it clear: Brukarros is not a Savanna Beef project. This is clearly a BVCF project.
"The benefit for SBP of the Brukarros project, and also the main reason why we are involved in this, is to negotiate and develop a market that will enter the industry earlier and will be able to sell under the Savanna Beef brand."
Benefit to all
Metzger said Brukarros is a joint venture of the BVCF and another party. Although he declined to name the other party at this stage, he revealed that the negotiations are already at an advanced stage.
Metzger said the distance between Brukarros and cattle-producing areas is often mentioned.
"The plan is to drive the cattle to Windhoek, and from there, Brukarros will take over the transport. So, the producer only delivers his cattle in Windhoek, where they have to remain for a while as part of our export protocol. They must not drive too long. After that, the slaughterhouse handles further transport.
"The other thing that is important: the south is also coming out of a drought like the rest of Namibia. However, it potentially has enough cattle to utilise Brukarros at full capacity. The development of Brukarros will therefore benefit cattle producers in the south," he explained.
He said they intend to slaughter about 120 cattle per day at Brukarros, or about 22 000 to 24 000 cattle per month.
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