The 2022 marketing season ended well compared to 2021, despite disruptions due to the foot-and-mouth-induced 21days’ border closure during the third quarter of 2022.
The total weighted average cattle price showed an upward trend in the fourth quarter from a downward trend in earlier quarters of 2022.
According to the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) fourth quarter agri review for 2022, which was released last week, cattle income, however, dropped by 3,5% year on year, compared to the same period in 2021.
The review says weaner prices experienced an upward trend during the fourth quarter of the year, but were lower than prices received in the fourth quarter of 2021.
“The weaner price as a percentage of slaughter price rose to 67%, which is above the long-term average of 64%,” it states.
According to the report, sheep prices continued the descending path which began in the third quarter of 2022, thus closing 1,5% lower in the fourth quarter of last year.
“Following the reopening of the farmers’ meat market at Mariental in November, increased competition is likely in the local sheep market,” the review says.
Meanwhile, goat prices fell by 17,1% year on year from N$1 451,83 per head in the fourth quarter of 2021, to N$1 204,10 per head in the same period last year, the review says.
Pork ceiling prices ended the year on a high note with N$47,49 – at least 26,4% above the price of N$39,58 in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Despite deserved prices, the corresponding rise in input costs squeezed producer profits, the union says.
“The number of cattle marketed was 2,8% more than in 2021. Live export numbers rose by 1,3%, export abattoirs’ throughput went up by 24,8%, while B&C class abattoirs’ throughput dropped with 22,7%,” it says.
Overall, 2,5% more cattle (186 189) were auctioned between January and December 2022, compared to 181 661 auctioned during the same period last year.
Slaughter cattle on auction went up by 3%, while weaners auctioned were 8,5% higher, says the union, which mainly represents commercial farmers in the country.
The sheep sector responded with significant growth in output – 39,4% more sheep were marketed between January and December 2022 (565 894), compared to 406 005 sold during the same period in 2021.
Live export increased by 48,8%, while 141 087 animals were slaughtered locally, which is 17,1% more than the 120 434 slaughtered in 2021.
Goat marketing improved overall by 25,5% between January and December – from 113 162 in 2021 to 142 000 in 2022.
The number of goats exported live increased by 27,6%, from 106 661 in 2021 to 136 076 in 2022, and 8,9% fewer goats (5 924) were slaughtered locally in 2022, compared to 6 501 animals in 2021, the NAU says.
– email: matthew@nambian.com.na
