This was said by the Chief Executive of the Meat Corporation (Meatco), Kobus du Plessis, at the annual award gala event for meat producers on Friday.

Du Plessis cited a positive foreign-exchange rate, improved meat prices and lack of export capacity experienced by rival countries like Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay as positive factors for Namibia's meat-producing sector this year.

"The many changes experienced in a globalised world demand flexibility and greater adaptability from us.

Numbers of livestock slaughtered at Meatco abattoirs declined while meat-production costs increased, as well as international competition.

"We also want to see to it that communal farmers receive top prices for their livestock."That is the objective of our marketing strategy," Du Plessis said.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Paul Smit said the beef industry, through Meatco, had ploughed back N$660 million into the economy in the past five years.

"This happened in the form of prices paid to producers, salaries to employees and payments to institutions.

Government is investigating ways to assist farmers to de-bush their farms in return for an increase in cattle production which we hope will see to it that Meatco continues to plough back into the country."

Two communal farmers, Alfred Hangua and Muheneje Ikengua, won prizes as the best beef producers delivering cattle to Meatco's Oshakati abattoir in the past year.

Hangua won in the category for farmers who sent 50 cattle or more to the Oshakati abattoir and Ikengua was the best producer in the category 10 to 50 cattle.

The best three beef producers in the commercial category were Jasper Brand, Gundolf Schlosser and Eckhart Foertsch.

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