Cattle drought at export abattoir

Jo-Maré Duddy – The number of cattle exported to abattoirs and butchers in the first ten months of 2020 plunged by nearly 43.5% or 68 453 compared to the same period last year.New data released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) shows 88 999 cattle were exported to abattoirs and butchers from January to October this year, compared to 157 452 in the corresponding time in 2019.State-owned meat processing and marketing firm Meatco has been hit by a shortage of cattle at its export abattoir following a devastating drought in 2019, its chairperson Johnnie Hamman said in a statement on Friday.Meatco expects to slaughter 39 000 head of cattle by the end of its financial year in January, 77 000 or about 66% less than in its 2019 book-year."2020 has been a difficult year because by the end of the 2020/21 financial year … We are aware of the challenges of throughput to our export abattoir, stretching from the financial constraints to Meatco (as a business) to farmers having to restock their herds," Xinhua quoted Hamman as saying.GROWTH BLEEDIn its updated economic outlook released recently, the Bank of Namibia (BoN) forecast growth of -6.4% for livestock farming this year. In 2019, livestock farming contracted by 5.1% and in 2018 by 1.5%.“The expected contraction in 2020 is in line with depleted livestock numbers from preceding years, which have reduced marketing activities during 2020,” the BoN said.Meat processing grew by 12% last year, but this year the BoN expects growth of -19%.According to the latest NSA stats, the total number of livestock marketed in October 2020 amounted to 46 583 compared to 46 610 recorded during the previous month. In October 2019, the number of livestock marketed stood at 82 275.The number of live cattle exported on hoof in October was 12 783 in October, down from 14 651 recorded in September and 22 059 a year ago.The index for live cattle exported on hoof stood 59.9 basis, 42.1% lower than in October 2019, the NSA said.The index’s peak so far the year was 99.8 basis points in February. The peak last year was 175.2 basis points in May.SMALL STOCKThe number of small stock exported to abattoirs and butchers declined to 4 476 in October, down 3 062 or nearly 41% from the previous month. Compared to a year ago, the number dropped by 5 500 or about 55%.The index for small stock exported to abattoirs and butchers stood at a low 10.3 basis points in October, down by 40.6% from September and 55.1% from October 2019.The NSA attributes the decline to the unavailability of sheep in the market.The number of pigs slaughtered locally declined to 3 674 in October from 3 738 in September. A year earlier, the number of pigs slaughtered locally during the corresponding month was 3 924. – Additional reporting by Nampa/Xinhua

Cattle drought at export abattoir

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