Meatco avails cattle procurement strategy for 2021

STAFF REPORTER WINDHOEKMeatco’s Livestock Production and Value-Addition Department has devised a robust strategy to buy cattle from all Namibian farmers with marketable cattle.According to Meatco, it is important for the company to sustainably service its local and international markets alike.“Although producers are restocking after the good rains received this season, we cannot ignore our clients’ need to receive products that are of the highest quality,” the company said.The department aims to buy animals from communal and commercial farmers through strategically devised platforms, such as permit days scheduled in the communal areas, which allow for mass gatherings where the department can buy many animals. Buying daysThe department also robustly sources animals at communal and commercial auctions organised through farmers’ associations or other organised agricultural entities.Meatco can also buy animals directly from the farm using a platform referred to as “on-farm permit days”, which is an arranged sale between Meatco and the farmer where the farmer receives payment immediately to avoid additional transportation costs.According to Meatco, the direct delivery of cattle by communal and commercial producers to its export abattoir is another way they aim to buy animals this year.Producers can also directly deliver the animals to daily permanent buying points like the Annasruh Feedlot, 30 kilometres east of Gobabis, the Klein Hamakari buying point in the Otjozondjupa Region that is due to open by the end of March, and the Okapuka Feedlot, 25 kilometres from their head office in Windhoek.Meatco is rolling out a Special Feeders Contract, which will bind farmers to delivering a fixed number of animals per month for the period April 2021 to January 2022. ImportsBesides these strategies, the company will buy animals from neighbouring Botswana.“Namibia and Botswana have the same animal health standards, and that country also has access to the European Union market.“Therefore, sourcing cattle from Botswana will secure raw material for our local market and leave the Namibian cattle South of the Veterinary Cordon Fence for the international markets for the interim,” Meatco said.It adds that Namibian cattle producers remain an important stakeholder and Meatco will continue to source animals from Namibian producers.“However, we will not limit ourselves to the Namibian farmers in our quest to secure throughput for our abattoir sustainably.”

Meatco avails cattle procurement strategy for 2021

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-03

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Meatco avails cattle procurement strategy for 2021

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-03

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