Namibia is yet to export lamb to Norway, despite sharing a 400-tonne export quota with Botswana and Eswatini, a recent report by the Livestock and Livestock Products Board (LLPB) reveals.
This comes as a decline in processing capacity at abattoirs led to a decrease in lamb and mutton exports, with only 81,599kg being sent to South Africa.
“Despite the fact that Namibia, Botswana and Eswatini share a 400 tonnes Norwegian quota, there has been no exports made to Norway by Namibian abattoirs thus far,” said LLPB Statistician for Trade & Strategic Marketing Fransina Angula.
She further explained that marketing activities grew by 3.1%, with 82,401 sheep marketed in July 2024, bringing the year-to-date (YTD) total to 597,337.
Lamb producer prices averaged N$33.89/kg, a recovery from N$32.14/kg in 2023. Despite this, lamb and mutton exports dropped 53.2% year-on-year due to reduced slaughtering, and YTD exports fell by 28.2%.
During the period, 81,599kg of lamb and mutton were exported to South Africa, while no exports were recorded to Norway.
“Mutton imports primarily in the form of sheep casings increased during July 2024,” Angula said.
Angula also said a total of 243,431 cattle have been slaughtered YTD, up from 171,838 during the same period in 2023.
Marketing activities increased by 25.2%, with 37,750 cattle marketed during the month.
Exports of live cattle also surged by 23.4%, largely driven by drought conditions. The beef export market showed strong performance, growing by 74.1% in July.
“Cattle marketing during July increased by 25.2 percent with 37,750 cattle marketed during the month. This brings the YTD total to 243,431 in 2024 relative to 171,838 cattle marketed during the same period in 2023,” she said.
She further explained that beef exports surged by 74.1% in July, reaching a total of 3.4 million kilograms. This brought YTD beef exports to 14.4 million kilograms, 70.8% higher than the previous year.
The European Union absorbed 67.5% of these exports, while South Africa accounted for 27.1%, with smaller shares going to Norway, the UK, China, and Ghana. In contrast, beef imports declined by 39.3%, reflecting improved local production.
“During July 2024, the EU took up more than two-thirds (67.5%) of total beef exports, while South Africa took up 27.1 per cent. The remaining 5.4 per cent share went to Norway, UK, China and Ghana, respectively,” she said.
YTD beef imports are down by 39.3 per cent, pointing to improved availability of locally produced offal.
Angula further explained that the Southern Veterinary Cordon Fence weaner producer price averaged N$24.89/kg, down 5.8% from N$26.42/kg in 2023.
The Northern Veterinary Cordon Fence tolly price averaged N$20.20/kg, N$2.16/kg lower than the N$22.36/kg recorded in July 2023.
Despite the lower weaner/B2 ratio of 41.3%, carcass prices paid by abattoirs remained relatively stable.
“Additionally, a healthy weaner/B2 ratio is crucial for reducing the market share of live weaner exports in relation to local slaughtering and is obtained by a continuous increase in producer carcass prices given a certain level of weaner prices,” she said.
She also said that the goat sector saw a 1.0% decline in marketing, with 15,616 goats marketed during July, bringing the YTD total to 77,007.
Goat lamb prices averaged N$29.85/kg, while in the pork sector, slaughtering activities grew by 8.5%, with 4,100 pigs slaughtered in July.
The average slaughter mass was 91.15kg, with the pork-ceiling price fixed at N$51.03/kg.
The benchmark Red Meat Abattoir Association price in South Africa averaged N$31.35/kg.
