Goat farmers getting ‘raw deal’

WINDHOEK – People who farm with small stock in the South are getting a raw deal from abattoirs, Swapo MP Frans Basson said in the National Council last week.

Contributing to the debate on the Meatco Amendment Bill after its second reading, Basson said goat farmers in the South couldn’t make a living from the prices they are paid. “Because there is no law that says how much a goat is worth and what is the minimum price that a goat will cost on the market, the speculators, auctioneers, or those buying goats from communal farmers to sell elsewhere are paying low prices to the farmers.”Basson said the price paid per goat has fluctuated wildly between N$70 and N$600, without any apparent reason.It is often said there is no market for goats and therefore the animals cannot be properly marketed, he said.”This I must say is a lie of the first degree fabricated by blood suckers like those buying from communal farmers,” he said “If proper feasibility studies were done, this product would have been identified and officially marketed by now.”Basson said the ostrich abattoir in the South had been expanded to accommodate small stock but upon enquiry he was informed that goats could not be slaughtered there.He said Government should be cautious about providing funding for abattoirs that claim to support communal farmers, as only commercial farmers use these abattoirs.- Nampa”Because there is no law that says how much a goat is worth and what is the minimum price that a goat will cost on the market, the speculators, auctioneers, or those buying goats from communal farmers to sell elsewhere are paying low prices to the farmers.”Basson said the price paid per goat has fluctuated wildly between N$70 and N$600, without any apparent reason.It is often said there is no market for goats and therefore the animals cannot be properly marketed, he said.”This I must say is a lie of the first degree fabricated by blood suckers like those buying from communal farmers,” he said “If proper feasibility studies were done, this product would have been identified and officially marketed by now.”Basson said the ostrich abattoir in the South had been expanded to accommodate small stock but upon enquiry he was informed that goats could not be slaughtered there.He said Government should be cautious about providing funding for abattoirs that claim to support communal farmers, as only commercial farmers use these abattoirs.- Nampa