Chinese clued up on meat industry

A Chinese delegation recently visited the Meat Board of Namibia to familiarise themselves with the meat industry in the country. The delegation from the Chinese Meat Association was represented by 20 delegates. Namibia is in the process of obtaining access to the Chinese market for its beef products. Deputy agriculture permanent secretary, Sophia Kasheeta, said during the visit that access to markets contributes positively to economic growth in agriculture and the improvement of the living standards of the country's citizens. The currently signed protocol between China and Namibia indicates that no beef may be exported within 12 months of the last confirmed case of lumpy skin disease. Discussions between the agricultural ministry and the Chinese ambassador in Namibia led to an undertaking to revise the protocol, and specifically the stipulation on lumpy skin disease. The industry further requested that the export of bone-in beef and mutton, as well as offal and processed meat products from the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs), should be added to the protocol.The Chinese delegation was led by Li Shuilong, president of the China Meat Association and vice-president of the International Meat Secretariat of which the Meat Board is also a member. China is a critical market for Namibia as it imports 6.5 million tons of beef, 250 000 million tons of mutton, 2.3 million tons of pork and 1.7 million tons of chicken per annum.Members of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature also visited the Meat Board recently to explore the performance of the Namibian meat industry, as well as the traceability and farm-assured scheme systems the country deploys to export livestock to South Africa, and in particular to their province. The delegation also gathered information on the structure of the meat industry and FAN Meat Scheme.STAFF REPORTER

Chinese clued up on meat industry

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-18

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Chinese clued up on meat industry

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-18

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