The country recorded a triple-digit growth of 103% to 81,142 in live cattle exports attributed to farmers selling due to drought threats, a new report has shown.
According to the Agricultural Bank of Namibia’s (Agribank) latest report, cattle marketed increased 49% to 22,052 in March 2023 compared to 14,848 recorded in the prior month.
The report said the upsurge is noted across all cattle marketing activities.
“We are of the view that the inconsistent rainfall, which resulted in vegetation degradation between March and April 2023, has prompted farmers to sell some of their livestock to avoid stock losses due to drought,” Agribank said.
The agro-lender said despite the increase, livestock prices have dipped due to an increase in the number of livestock marketed in March 2023.
The Meat Board of Namibia predicts that the number of live exports and slaughtered cattle will continue to increase, leading to declining livestock prices
In response, Agribank notes that “farmers are reducing their herd size, conserving resources, and generating income to offset the costs of managing their livestock during the upcoming dry season”.
The number of sheep marketed also increased by 91% to 90,380 during the month under review from 47,397 in the prior month.
“This upsurge is attributed to live sheep exports to South Africa that surged by 95% to 48,700 in March 2023 from 24,970 in the prior month,” said the Agricultural Bank.
However, the number of goat marketing continues to decline, slightly reducing to 3,638 in March 2023 from 3,682 in the prior month.
Goats are drought-resistant animals and do not depend on grasslands for feeding.
In terms of the poultry market, it remains fragile to bird flu outbreaks across the major trading nations.
This comes after In March 2023, Namibia banned the importation of poultry products from Chile and Argentina as a result of a bird flu outbreak.
“This presents an opportunity for local poultry farmers to enhance and intensify local production to make up for losses in international supply.”
Agribank highlights that the livestock market in Namibia has seen significant changes due to various factors, such as drought and market demands.
As a result, “farmers are advised to adapt to these changes by reducing their herd size and finding ways to generate income to offset costs”.
The poultry market also remains volatile due to outbreaks in other countries, presenting an opportunity for local farmers to enhance and intensify local production, according to the bank.
