South wants NCA meat

Meatco has sold 108 tonnes of primal beef cuts through the Katima Mulilo abattoir in the Northern Communal Areas (NCA) to markets south of the Veterinary Cordon Fence (VCF).In addition, the company has shipped 14 tonnes of beef to Ghana and to West Africa.This was announced by the Meatco CEO Mwilima Mushokabanji at the operationalising of the commodity-based trade (CBT) protocols for NCA produced meat products.Meatco has managed to produce certified beef products and marketed it south of the VCF and to Ghanian markets through the CBT approach, Mushokabanji explained.Feedback from consumers in the south of Namibia shows that the demand for beef from the NCA is on the increase, he said.“They claim beef from the NCA is tastier and healthier owing to its free-range nature production.”Big herdsWith regards to Ghana, Mushokabanji said that the market is still in development and is expected to continue growing.“Botswana and South Africa continue to enjoy beef sales in this market,” he said.The Meatco CEO said the NCA is a livestock-rich part of Namibia, with approximately 1.6 million cattle, representing 64% of the total Namibian herd, estimated at 2.5 million.“Locally, the NCA has been sourcing livestock, meat and meat products from producers and abattoirs from the area south of the VCF, leaving the producers in the NCA with limited market for their livestock.”Mushokabanji explained that the Katima Mulilo abattoir is situated in the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) zone in Namibia, an area where the disease is endemic.“The presence of FMD in the NCA leads to livestock movement restrictions and marketing constraints of beef produced by export certified abattoirs in the FMD-protection and FMD-infection zones in Namibia, and have rendered abattoir operators in the NCA to experience increasing fixed costs and negative cashflow challenges.”Safe tradeMushokabanji said standard operating procedures were therefore developed following scientifically based regulations by the World Organisation for Animal Health to ensure the marketability of livestock, meat and meat products from the NCA. This is to allow safe trade of deboned and matured beef products from these zones to countries or zones declared FMD free, including areas south of the VCF.Through the CBT protocol, Meatco has the potential to export meat products from the NCA into more viable markets.“Meatco acknowledges that there is a disparity price paid to producers south of the VCF and in the NCA. The disparity is influenced by the realisation from the markets that differs from those achieved south of the VCF and in the NCA. However, though market diversification and demand, Meatco endeavours to improve realisation thereby paying competitive prices for the same quality delivered by the farmers in the NCA.

South wants NCA meat

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-12-22

Please login to leave a comment

South wants NCA meat

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-12-22

Please login to leave a comment

Subscription Required to Access Content ×

Login

Subscription Required to Access Content