Cattle and sheep exports drop in 2020

ELLANIE SMITWINDHOEKPost-drought effects hurt the livestock and meat sector during 2020. The drastic reduction in export abattoir activity reduced the number of slaughter animals and impacted negatively on beef and sheep meat exports says the Meat Board of Namibia. There was an overall decline in the total marketing of cattle in 2020 compared to 2019, mainly due to a drive by producers to re-stock after the drought.Year-on-year, a 46.9% decrease was witnessed in the total marketing of cattle during 2020 compared to 2019. Marketing decreased from 467 418 cattle in 2019 to 247 893 cattle in 2020.The decline in cattle marketing was more noticeable at export abattoirs and this resulted in a significant reduction in beef exports. “In 2020, Namibia resumed exports to the United States, a high-value market with the potential to create value in the Namibian marketing stream,” says the Meat Board. Katima Mulilo Export Abattoir became operational last year with support from the government and the Meat Board and registered a slaughter of 115 cattle during the year. This is excluding test slaughter. Meanwhile, the Oshakati Abattoir will soon resume slaughter activities. Furthermore, Meatco continues to operate mobile slaughtering in Kavango West and registered an increase of 41.84% during 2020 with 1 661 cattle slaughtered. The Meat Board says that given the shortage of marketable animals, there was a surge in the price of weaners which continued until the end of the year. However, a reduction in beef demand due to the economic effects of the coronavirus took its toll on both local and international fronts. Sheep sectorAccording to the Meat Board, the long-term sheep marketing trend continues to depict a steep reduction.The sheep sector performed worse during 2020 compared to 2019, especially with regards to slaughtering for export markets.The total marketing of sheep halved from 741 444 in 2019 to 369 650 in 2020.“The export abattoir segment was severely affected to the extent that Farmers Meat Market in Mariental, one of the two existing export abattoirs, ceased slaughtering activities,” says the Meat Board. It says that a reduced sheep herd is currently a major threat to Namibia's trade position as a net exporter of sheep meat. A total of 26 519 sheep were slaughtered by export abattoirs while B&C-class abattoirs registered a combined slaughter of 115 548 sheep.Live exports totalled 227 583 head, a 50.22% reduction in comparison to 2019.The industry convened at the agricultural conference held last year and proposed a raft of measures which if implemented could reverse the downward trend in the industry.

Cattle and sheep exports drop in 2020

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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Cattle and sheep exports drop in 2020

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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