Agri Briefs Cabinet meets on EU beef exports

CABINET will today discuss ways to find a solution for Namibia to still sign an interim agreement this month with the European Union to continue beef, grape and fish exports from January 1 2008.

Namibia failed to sign on a duty-free and quota-free EU offer last Thursday, the final deadline. Throughput at Meatco is already under pressure and has reduced from about 180 000 cattle five years ago to about 110 000 currently.It is expected that the non-signature of this EU-EPA agreement will put great pressure on the throughput of Meatco and thus also on its profitability and survival.Small Stock Marketing Scheme FARMERS and representatives of the Abattoirs’ Association and the Meat Board again met Deputy Agriculture Minister Paul Smit on Friday to discuss the future of marketing of small stock in Namibia and the related study compiled by PriceWaterhouseCoopers.The most practical option recommended in the report has been accepted for submission to Cabinet, requesting the repeal of the current limited export measures of live sheep.For every sheep exported, six must be slaughtered locally.The study noted that borders should be opened again unrestricted and a N$16 export fee per animal levied.Namibian sheep breeders receive better prices in South Africa than locally and the levy is supposed to level the price difference.It has been agreed that this export fee will be ploughed back to producers who are slaughtering locally to serve as incentive for local slaughtering.The current export restrictions stay in force until Cabinet announces its decision.Farmers win RSA breeding prizes MECKI and Brigitte Schneider from Grootfontein for the first time won the highest award as South African Meat Cattle Breeder of the Year in Bloemfontein.The Schneider couple previously won the general second (2005) and general third places (2006).Mr Schneider is the representative of the Grootfontein/Tsumeb/Otavi Regional Agricultural Union on the Executive Council of the NAU and a producer representative on the Meat Board.Danie Botes of Windhoek received the Brahman Bull of the Year award and Dr Arthur Bagot-Smith from Otjiwarongo the Simbra Bull of the Year award.Meatco secures loan for Etunda feedlot THE European Union and the National Planning Commission yesterday signed a grant agreement for N$13,3 million for the erection of a feedlot at Etunda irrigation farm near Ruacana.Weaner calves of communal farmers will then fetch higher prices, up to N$700 more per animal, after gaining more weight.About 10 000 weaners a year will be put through the feedlot.Meatco feeding programme for weaners THIS week Meatco started with a programme to help farmers raise their weaners for the future slaughtering market.Meatco does this programme together with commercial banks.Farmers receive bridging financing from a bank to raise weaners.This includes costs such as interest, lick and feed, rental and cattle medicines.Bush-to-fuel project starts The Management Committee of the bush-to-energy project Cbend (Combating Bush Encroachment for Namibia’s Development) held its first meeting after the agreement for the project was signed between the EU and the Desert Research Foundation (DRFN).The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) is a partner in this project and serves on the committee.The EU provided a N$14 million grant to erect a 0,5 megawatt pilot plant to generate electricity from invader bush and to sell this electricity to NamPower.The project will be driven by an independent power supplier.The project group will visit South Africa this week to investigate different plant models to decide on the best use of machinery for NamibiaThroughput at Meatco is already under pressure and has reduced from about 180 000 cattle five years ago to about 110 000 currently.It is expected that the non-signature of this EU-EPA agreement will put great pressure on the throughput of Meatco and thus also on its profitability and survival.Small Stock Marketing Scheme FARMERS and representatives of the Abattoirs’ Association and the Meat Board again met Deputy Agriculture Minister Paul Smit on Friday to discuss the future of marketing of small stock in Namibia and the related study compiled by PriceWaterhouseCoopers.The most practical option recommended in the report has been accepted for submission to Cabinet, requesting the repeal of the current limited export measures of live sheep.For every sheep exported, six must be slaughtered locally.The study noted that borders should be opened again unrestricted and a N$16 export fee per animal levied.Namibian sheep breeders receive better prices in South Africa than locally and the levy is supposed to level the price difference.It has been agreed that this export fee will be ploughed back to producers who are slaughtering locally to serve as incentive for local slaughtering.The current export restrictions stay in force until Cabinet announces its decision.Farmers win RSA breeding prizes MECKI and Brigitte Schneider from Grootfontein for the first time won the highest award as South African Meat Cattle Breeder of the Year in Bloemfontein.The Schneider couple previously won the general second (2005) and general third places (2006).Mr Schneider is the representative of the Grootfontein/Tsumeb/Otavi Regional Agricultural Union on the Executive Council of the NAU and a producer representative on the Meat Board.Danie Botes of Windhoek received the Brahman Bull of the Year award and Dr Arthur Bagot-Smith from Otjiwarongo the Simbra Bull of the Year award.Meatco secures loan for Etunda feedlot THE European Union and the National Planning Commission yesterday signed a grant agreement for N$13,3 million for the erection of a feedlot at Etunda irrigation farm near Ruacana.Weaner calves of communal farmers will then fetch higher prices, up to N$700 more per animal, after gaining more weight.About 10 000 weaners a year will be put through the feedlot.Meatco feeding programme for weaners THIS week Meatco started with a programme to help farmers raise their weaners for the future slaughtering market.Meatco does this programme together with commercial banks.Farmers receive bridging financing from a bank to raise weaners.This includes costs such as interest, lick and feed, rental and cattle medicines. Bush-to-fuel project starts The Management Committee of the bush-to-energy project Cbend (Combating Bush Encroachment for Namibia’s Development) held its first meeting after the agreement for the project was signed between the EU and the Desert Research Foundation (DRFN).The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) is a partner in this project and serves on the committee.The EU provided a N$14 million grant to erect a 0,5 megawatt pilot plant to generate electricity from invader bush and to sell this electricity to NamPower.The project will be driven by an independent power supplier.The project group will visit South Africa this week to investigate different plant models to decide on the best use of machinery for Namibia