Minister meets small livestock producers

THE Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Dr Nickey Iyambo, will meet all stakeholders involved in small livestock farming today to discuss a possible interim arrangement for the marketing of sheep.

The meeting comes in the wake of a study currently being drafted on sheep and goat farming and to compare prices fetched at local abattoirs and in neighbouring South Africa. The draft report on the Small Stock Marketing Scheme, compiled by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC), was rejected by the Abattoirs Association of Namibia (AAN).”The viewpoint of producers regarding the draft report is that all parties now get the opportunity to give inputs so that the report can be finalised to the satisfaction of all parties,” said the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) in its weekly newsletter on Friday.The study investigated the difference in prices offered by local and South African abattoirs for Namibian sheep and recommended that a nominal levy could be introduced for sheep exports to South Africa.This could ruin the business of Namibian abattoirs, the AAN said.Slaughter fees were between N$10 and N$20 cheaper at South African abattoirs.This according to AAN put them at an unfair advantage.Cabinet had decided in October 2003 that exports of live sheep should be exempted from a 15 per cent export levy for four years until November 1, 2007.This was resolved on the condition that more sheep be slaughtered locally so that the slaughtering capacity of Namibian abattoirs as well as local tanneries could be fully utilised within the four-year period.The deadline has passed and Cabinet will have to decide if the levy exemption will be lifted or remain in place.Farm valuation court hearings start THE court hearings for the valuation roll of commercial farmland started on Monday at the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Luederitz Street.At the hearings, objections against the valuation of farms for the payment of land tax will be presented.After negotiations it was agreed that the hearing of objections will take place according to regions.From the Kunene Region five cases will be heard, Otjozondjupa six cases, Erongo 15 cases, Khomas 11 cases and Omaheke 14 cases.Three farmers from the Karas and 16 from the Hardap Region will raise their objections to Magistrate Rina Horn.Regional body for agriculture on cards THE management of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) attended the annual agricultural outlook in South Africa last week and also exchanged views with Agri SA, a similar association.The co-operation between agricultural organisations within each country in southern Africa and the creation of an umbrella organisation representing all agricultural producers was discussed in detail.The Namibian delegation also visited the management of the Red Meat Producers Organisation in South Africa and discussed the impact of the small-stock marketing scheme in Namibia on the marketing of mutton in South Africa.The Feedlot Association in South Africa was also visited.”The Feedlot Association is concerned that the supply of these animals can decrease if Namibia puts a levy on the export of live weaners,” the NAU stated in its weekly newsletter on Friday.There are currently 400 000 cattle in feedlots in South Africa plus 60 000 waiting to be submitted.Namibian communal and commercial farmers produce about 150 000 weaners a year, the majority being exported on the hoof to South Africa.The draft report on the Small Stock Marketing Scheme, compiled by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC), was rejected by the Abattoirs Association of Namibia (AAN).”The viewpoint of producers regarding the draft report is that all parties now get the opportunity to give inputs so that the report can be finalised to the satisfaction of all parties,” said the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) in its weekly newsletter on Friday. The study investigated the difference in prices offered by local and South African abattoirs for Namibian sheep and recommended that a nominal levy could be introduced for sheep exports to South Africa.This could ruin the business of Namibian abattoirs, the AAN said.Slaughter fees were between N$10 and N$20 cheaper at South African abattoirs.This according to AAN put them at an unfair advantage.Cabinet had decided in October 2003 that exports of live sheep should be exempted from a 15 per cent export levy for four years until November 1, 2007.This was resolved on the condition that more sheep be slaughtered locally so that the slaughtering capacity of Namibian abattoirs as well as local tanneries could be fully utilised within the four-year period.The deadline has passed and Cabinet will have to decide if the levy exemption will be lifted or remain in place.Farm valuation court hearings start THE court hearings for the valuation roll of commercial farmland started on Monday at the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Luederitz Street.At the hearings, objections against the valuation of farms for the payment of land tax will be presented.After negotiations it was agreed that the hearing of objections will take place according to regions.From the Kunene Region five cases will be heard, Otjozondjupa six cases, Erongo 15 cases, Khomas 11 cases and Omaheke 14 cases.Three farmers from the Karas and 16 from the Hardap Region will raise their objections to Magistrate Rina Horn. Regional body for agriculture on cards THE management of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) attended the annual agricultural outlook in South Africa last week and also exchanged views with Agri SA, a similar association.The co-operation between agricultural organisations within each country in southern Africa and the creation of an umbrella organisation representing all agricultural producers was discussed in detail.The Namibian delegation also visited the management of the Red Meat Producers Organisation in South Africa and discussed the impact of the small-stock marketing scheme in Namibia on the marketing of mutton in South Africa.The Feedlot Association in South Africa was also visited.”The Feedlot Association is concerned that the supply of these animals can decrease if Namibia puts a levy on the export of live weaners,” the NAU stated in its weekly newsletter on Friday.There are currently 400 000 cattle in feedlots in South Africa plus 60 000 waiting to be submitted.Namibian communal and commercial farmers produce about 150 000 weaners a year, the majority being exported on the hoof to South Africa.