The Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) has missed its 70,000-head slaughter target for the period ending January 2026 after improved rainfall and disease pressures reduced cattle deliveries.
Meatco said better rainfall encouraged producers to retain stock and prioritise restocking for the 2026 season, while deliveries were further constrained by Lumpy Skin Disease, which persisted from late 2024 into mid-2025.
Interim Chief Executive Officer Albertus Aochamub said slaughter volumes fell to about 35,000 cattle from south of the Veterinary Cordon Fence and 6,863 cattle from the Northern Communal Area.
“These volumes place the business under considerable pressure, as they are insufficient to sustain a competitive and profitable operating environment,” Aochamub said.
Despite the lower throughput, Meatco said it continued to act as a price stabiliser for the red-meat industry.
In April 2025, producer prices stood at N$67.00 per kilogram for A2–4 and AB2–4 grades and N$60.00 per kilogram for C5–6 grades. Prices have since increased to N$72.00 per kilogram for AB2–4 grades and N$66.00 per kilogram for C1–C2–4 grades, while Northern Communal Area producers are paid N$27.00 per kilogram for A3 and A4 grades.
The company has budgeted for a throughput of 63,000 cattle in the 2026/27 financial year, including 50,000 from south of the Veterinary Cordon Fence and 13,000 from the Northern Communal Area. Meatco said these volumes are required to cover operating costs, fund capital expenditure and return the business to profitability.
Meatco said its focus remains on rebuilding producer trust, securing high-value export markets, improving efficiency across its abattoirs and providing reliable services.
“As we all appreciate, cattle numbers and carcass weights remain the cornerstone of a viable red-meat industry,” Aochamub said.
