NCA farmers get N$96m from cattle sales

LIVESTOCK marketing activities continued on an upward trajectory in the northern communal areas (NCA) with a total of 1 307 cattle, supplied by 351 producers, sold at auctions between January and April 2022, realising an estimated N$96 million.

According to John Utoni, Meat Board regional marketing manager (north-central), out of the 1 543 cattle registered at auctions, 84,7% were sold.

“This is testimony that NCA producers are willing to market livestock with the continued support of the Meat Board in partnership with other industry stakeholders and its NCA regional offices at Ongwediva, Rundu and Katima Mulilo,” said Utoni.

This year, Namibia sent beef from the export abattoir at Katima Mulilo to export markets in Angola and Ghana, providing a huge market potential for the communal farmers who had complained over the years of being sidelined from accessing lucrative markets like the European Union and Norway.

Utoni said in the Meat Chronicles during the same period in 2021, no cattle auctions were conducted in the communal areas because of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

He said of the cattle sold from the NCA, oxen constituted the highest number of 482 (6,88%) of the total animals sold, followed by steers at 266 (20,35%).

“The least number of animals sold were weaners with a single animal, along with cows at 164 and calves at 91,” he said.

During the period under review, 1 905 cattle valued at N$19,7 million were slaughtered at abattoirs in the communal areas. Of these, 447 cattle were Grade C (representing 23,46%, 216 cattle were Grade A, AB and B (representing 11,34%).

The remaining 65,2% were ungraded because they were slaughtered at abattoirs that do not have carcass classification services.

Utoni said a 72% increase in cattle numbers slaughtered was reported at local abattoirs between January and April 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.

Between January and April 2022, a total of 3 212 cattle, five sheep, 70 goats and 296 pigs were marketed at NCA auctions and local abattoirs. These animals were valued at N$29,3 million.

“This shows that the cattle off-take for the reporting period increased by 83,45% in the NCA compared to 2021. This huge increase is mainly due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the protection zones in October 2020 that restricted marketing. As a result, only 532 cattle were marketed between January and April 2021,” he said.

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