Photo: FW Archive
According to a statement by the Meat Board of Namibia, beef exports increased substantially during the third quarter of 2023. This was ascribed to, among others, a doubling of quarterly performance by export abattoirs in comparison with 2022.
A review by the Meat Board showed that a total of 91 154 cattle were marketed in the third quarter of 2023, an increase of 52,03% from 59 957 cattle marketed during the same period last year.
The increased sales were mainly driven by increased slaughtering activities at export-approved abattoirs. These facilities slaughtered 34 398 head of cattle, while a total of 5 066 were marketed at Meat Board-registered B- and C-class abattoirs during the third quarter of 2023.
“A significant number of all live cattle (99,1%) were exported and marketed on the hoof to South Africa (51 206 out of 51 690), whereas other Southern African Development Community countries accounted for the remaining 484. This represents less than 1% of total live exports,” the Meat Board management said in the statement.
Namibia listed a growth of 60,94% in the total number of sheep marketed in the third quarter of 2023, with 190 825 sheep marketed during the third quarter of 2023, compared with 118 569 marketed in the same period last year.
The increase can be attributed to increased live exports to South Africa, as well as slaughtering activities at export-approved abattoirs. A total of 150 175 sheep were exported to South Africa in the third quarter of 2023, accounting for 78,7% of the total marketing.
The number of pigs slaughtered at Meat Board-approved abattoirs went down by 4,23% during the period under review to a total of 11 020 pigs.
Meanwhile, the third quarter of 2023 recorded a total of 46 807 goats marketed, bringing year-to-date marketing to 104 824 goats.
According to Thinus Pretorius, chairman of the Namibia Agricultural Union, that country was a net exporter of red meat and beef and was exporting to, among others, the US, Scandinavia, China and Norway.
