Meat Board adjusts sheep scheme

The Meat Board of Namibia has been forced to make adjustments to the local slaughtering requirement of the sheep marketing scheme following the recent closure of Brukarros Meat Processors outside of Keetmanshoop. According to the Meat Board, the closure of Brukarros has left only Natural Namibian Meat Packers in Aranos as an export abattoir for sheep, while Farmers' Meat Market in Mariental slaughters only 500 sheep for the local market, once a week. Last year, Farmers' Meat Market announced and informed its stakeholders that it will close the abattoir due to financial difficulties. According to the Meat Board, however, the Mariental abattoir has since 13 August been registered to slaughter for export, three days a week. The Meat Board of Namibia therefore had to adjust the sheep marketing scheme because producers do not have the opportunity to build up a quota at local abattoirs and market in South Africa. The scheme, which was introduced to stimulate value addition to sheep and sheep products locally, currently works to export a ratio of 1:1. Therefore for every sheep that producers want to export to South Africa they also have to slaughter one locally. The Meat Board said the new adjustment that has been implemented will be valid until 15 November this year and implies that a producer who has slaughtered at Brukarros Meat Processors during the past six months while the abattoir was still operational, can export a similar number of animals. The Meat Board, in collaboration with the industry, has been tasked with developing a long-term proposal for the growth of the sheep industry, including both producers and abattoirs, and at the same time assess the impact of the long-term proposal on the different sectors.The Meat Board has also allocated the unused Norwegian beef quota from Brukarros to Meatco. This step was necessitated and took place in agreement with Brukarros. Meatco will therefore be responsible for exports of 1 530 tonnes of beef, of which 982 tonnes of beef (64.2%) have already been exported by Meatco to Norway this year.The Meat Board also said that it has approved the conditions of the registration procedures at operating abattoirs in Namibia to accommodate age-classification at C-class abattoirs. Age classification will describe the age of the animal at the time of slaughter and will be indicated on the carcass in the form of a stamp. Such age classification can only take place under the supervision of the Meat Board while it will maintain the right to suspend the registration of such a producer if any age classification, or other inconsistencies, are found. Abattoir operators wishing to participate and implement age classification should apply in writing to the Meat Board. A person to be trained on age classification should be identified by the abattoir operator. Such a person must be registered and certified by the Meat Board on an annual basis, and registration will only be valid for the abattoir at which the staff member is employed at the time of certification. Age classification stamps bearing a unique abattoir code will be provided by the Meat Board to the abattoir operator at the cost of the abattoir operator.ELLANIE SMIT

Meat Board adjusts sheep scheme

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-02

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Meat Board adjusts sheep scheme

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-02

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