New strategy to clear up beef in meat industry

THE heavyweights in the local meat industry meet tomorrow to seek solutions to niggling issues like prices, markets and Meatco.

The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) said in its latest newsletter that the meeting, under the leadership of the Livestock Producers’ Organisation (LPO), will take initial steps for the drafting of a strategy for the meat industry in Namibia.It follows after LPO chairman Kay-Dieter Rumpf and about 60 producers from all over Namibia met with Meatco’s board in the middle of January. At this meeting producers raised their concerns about the current prices paid by Meatco, especially against the background of the high prices paid for weaners at the moment.Producers feel that if Meatco’s prices do not improve, it might lead to slaughtering animals becoming even scarcer, as farmers will increasingly make use of the higher prices for weaners, the NAU said. Farmers are also worried about Meatco’s burden getting heavier because they manage the abattoirs at Oshakati and Katima Mulilo too. Furthermore, the high overhead costs of Meatco is worrisome.According to the NAU, the meeting agreed that Meatco should still strive primarily be to sell the surplus beef production in Namibia at the highest possible price, “especially against the background of Meatco’s access to international markets”.Bearing this in mind, the local industry must investigate whether the Red Meat Abattoirs’ Association of South Africa still pays relevant prices.The meeting also decided that Meatco should ‘aggressively’ try to get a bigger chunk of the local and Angolan market. In addition, Meatco must seek advice, external if need be, on how to continue rationalising and run abattoirs which are not profitable.The ownership issue of Meatco should also be cleared as a matter of urgency, they said.