Namibia 30th largest beef exporter

Namibia is currently the 30th largest exporter of beef in the world with 24 countries importing Namibian beef and six countries importing sheep and goat products.

This year, new markets are being pursued in countries such as Tanzania, Mauritius, DRC, Kenya, Zambia and Saudi Arabia.

The value that the Namibian livestock and meat industry contributed last year was estimated at N$3.9 billion, while its estimated contribution to the GDP is 3.6%.

This is according to figures released by the Meat Board of Namibia that says the country has about 2.8 million cattle, 2 million sheep, 1.9 million goats and 300 000 pigs.

According to the Meat Board, compared to 2016, the total cattle marketed between January and May this year have decreased by 0.9%, reducing from 145 900 to 144 620.

Year-on-year slaughtering decreased with 28.85% at export abattoirs.

Of the total cattle marketed, 74% were live exports, 20% from export abattoirs while the B and C class abattoirs accounted for 6%.

Out of the total of 36 768 cattle slaughtered during the reporting months, 170 of those cattle were slaughtered at the Meatco mobile abattoirs in the Northern Communal Areas (NCA).

“It is clear that the inability of the NCA market to take up these products, remains a challenge,” said Meat Board.

Due to high weaner prices as a consequence of the low cost of maize prices in South Africa there was a notable increase in live export with 12.4% recorded year-on-year.

“After the previous drought, producers in South Africa are rebuilding their herds and slaughter-ready cattle are becoming limited. This artificially increases the demand for slaughter cattle and the extension of feedlotting and subsequently explains the increased demand for Namibian weaners,” the organisation said.

Namibian weaner prices followed an upward trend between January and May this year, moving on average from 16.96/kg in January to 21.07/kg in May.

According to the Meat Board livestock producer prices are expected to remain sideways for the second quarter of 2017.

However, the slaughter industry will be under pressure as result of herd rebuilding after the herd liquidation during the 2014/15 drought years.

“Weaner prices are expected to increase steadily in the short term but are expected to stabilise during the last quarter of the year. This situation might push the export figures to a disadvantage for the slaughter industry.”

Meanwhile the total production of sheep increased by 4.63% from 336 187 in 2016 to 352 490 this year, comparing year-on-year figures during the period under review.

This increase was mainly driven by the live exports of sheep, which increased by 20% from January to May this year.

According to the Meat Board, increased live exports can be attributed to the increase in South Africa's Northern Cape sheep prices, as well as the utilisation of the accumulated sheep quota.

“The unavailability of slaughter-ready sheep (16kg and above) is one of the factors that contributed towards the 4.7% reduction in sheep slaughtered at the export abattoirs. The quality of the sheep desired by export facilities in terms of their weight and conformation, had been greatly affected by the continuous drought in some of the predominately sheep producing areas.”

According to the Meat Board, the strenuous grazing conditions coupled with severe penalties on fat grade, weight (below 16kg) and conformation ranging between N$7-10/kg, will cause mutton markets to retain the current momentum.

“This in itself is a significant amount that producers experienced. In order to address this problem amicably, the standing drought arrangement of the “too lean and too small” still stands and therefore producers that are affected are encouraged to export under this arrangement as per the standard operating procedures.”

Furthermore the total weight of pork imported from January to May this year stood at 1 049 tons. This represents a decrease of 38% from 1 700 tons in 2016.



ELLANIE SMIT