Sheep farmers give Govt until month end

SHEEP farmers who wanted to start a boycott of local abattoirs yesterday postponed the exercise in order to give Government a month to come up with a solution to the highly unpopular export restrictions Cabinet imposed on them.

For each sheep sent to South Africa for slaughtering, six sheep must be slaughtered in Namibia in order to allow abattoirs to reach full slaughtering capacity and to locally process the mutton, which can be exported at better prices. Communal and commercial sheep farmers in southern Namibia feel this measure interferes with a free-market economy and deprives them of better prices in South Africa.The 6:1 export ratio came into force three years ago and was supposed to end last month.However, no new directives were issued by the Ministry of Agriculture.A group of farmers who formed the Pro Lamb committee last month vowed to stop sending sheep to local abattoirs, as South African abattoirs pay more.They also set an ultimatum, demanding a response from Government by Friday last week.The deadline came and went, but the Chief Executive of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), Sakkie Coetzee, yesterday said the deadline had been extended to July 31.”The boycott is off until then, the sheep farmers told us.”Agriculture Minister John Mutorwa a few days ago said the solution should come from the small livestock farmers and the abattoir association themselves.Sheep farmers however are adamant that the 6:1 sheep export ratio equals a ban.”The local abattoirs should make a positive move and help us farmers by paying better prices,” added the farmer, who spoke on condition of anonymity.An offer made a year ago by the farmers to pay a N$19 export levy per animal sent to South Africa was not accepted by the local abattoir association.Communal and commercial sheep farmers in southern Namibia feel this measure interferes with a free-market economy and deprives them of better prices in South Africa.The 6:1 export ratio came into force three years ago and was supposed to end last month.However, no new directives were issued by the Ministry of Agriculture.A group of farmers who formed the Pro Lamb committee last month vowed to stop sending sheep to local abattoirs, as South African abattoirs pay more.They also set an ultimatum, demanding a response from Government by Friday last week.The deadline came and went, but the Chief Executive of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), Sakkie Coetzee, yesterday said the deadline had been extended to July 31.”The boycott is off until then, the sheep farmers told us.”Agriculture Minister John Mutorwa a few days ago said the solution should come from the small livestock farmers and the abattoir association themselves.Sheep farmers however are adamant that the 6:1 sheep export ratio equals a ban.”The local abattoirs should make a positive move and help us farmers by paying better prices,” added the farmer, who spoke on condition of anonymity.An offer made a year ago by the farmers to pay a N$19 export levy per animal sent to South Africa was not accepted by the local abattoir association.