The Livestock Products Board of Namibia says it is currently grappling with the challenge of obtaining Halal accreditation and certification, a hurdle it anticipates resolving soon.
Securing Halal accreditation and certification is significant and will open new market opportunities.
The Board said the certification is crucial as it promises to unlock access to lucrative Middle Eastern markets, bringing significant benefits to beef exports from Namibia’s Northern Communal Areas.
“Namibia has already gained access to Qatar for beef from export abattoirs located in the northern communal areas. The primary challenge at the moment is obtaining Halal accreditation and certification, which should soon be resolved,” the board said.
Access to some of the Middle Eastern markets is expected to bring promising benefits for beef from the Northern Communal Areas.
This comes as the Namibian government was invited to join a delegation exploring potential markets in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt next month, and included Livestock Products Namibia.
This follows multiple visits by the Board to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
Notably, Namibia has already secured access to the Qatari market for beef from export abattoirs located in the northern communal areas.
Meanwhile, the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) has been actively seeking new beef markets since 2022 to address the pressing issue of price disparity affecting farmers in the Northern Communal Areas.
The region, which includes Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, and Kunene, is home to approximately 1.6 million cattle, representing 64% of Namibia’s national cattle herd estimated at 2.5 million.
The current beef market in Namibia is marked by a significant price disparity between producer prices paid to livestock producers situated north and south of the Veterinary Cordon Fence (VCF).
The pursuit of Halal certification is also a key focus, with Southeast Asian markets like Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia identified as potential targets.
