Dairy industry fights for survival

ELLANIE SMIT WINDHOEKThe Namibian dairy industry is on the verge of imploding, but the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) says it can be rescued through collaborative efforts.The NAU said the dairy industry has experienced a serious crisis for years, mainly caused by cheaper imported dairy products and increased feed costs.The prolonged drought caused the Hardap Dam to run dry towards the end of 2019, which meant the irrigation scheme could no longer produce enough cattle feed for the nearby dairy farm.“This crisis is now out of control and serious intervention is needed at all levels,” the union said. Pandemic affects importsAccording to the NAU, the coronavirus pandemic has meant that milk producers can no longer depend on resources from elsewhere.“It is therefore necessary to support primary production, so that sufficient raw materials may be available to the whole value chain.”The NAU pointed out that stakeholders are keen and positive that through collaborative efforts the industry can be rescued.Government supportIt said besides an ongoing initiative to save on feed costs, the stakeholders held brainstorming sessions seeking interim and long-term sustainable measures to safeguard the industry.They emphasised that government support of local industries is crucial if Namibia is to become self-sufficient in food production.The stakeholders summarised their recommendations last Friday before presenting them to government.

Dairy industry fights for survival

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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Dairy industry fights for survival

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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