The Meat Board of Namibia has issued a call for applications for the 2024 quota of beef supply to Norway.
The country’s major beef suppliers, Meatco and BeefCor are expected to once again bid to export the major chunk of the 1,600 tonnes allocation.
The quota has in previous years been shared by Meatco and BeefCor, with Meatco getting 1,200 of the quota while BeefCor was granted 400 tonnes.
From 2013 to 2022, Meatco has delivered over 12,800 tonnes of beef as part of the Norway quota, in some cases having taken up quota initially allocated to other parties, after failure to fulfill their allocation.
According to Meatco’s annual report, the meat processor generates over 27% of its turnover from exports under the quota.
“We have filled up the Norway quota and we were given 75% in the previous year. We always make sure that we fill up on time. And Norway remains a strategic market for Namibia and for Meatco in particular,” Meatco CEO Mwilima Mushokabanji told The Brief on Monday.
BeefCor Director, Jaco Swanepoel told The Brief that the Okahandja-based company was gunning for the entirety of the quota as it has the capacity to meet it.
“I just hope they can give out the quota on merit because we qualify for a higher amount but we don’t always get it,” Swanepoel said.
New entrants to the beef market, Savanna Beef, were unavailable for comment.
Although companies are free to indicate their preferred quota when applying to the Meat Board, the allocation must still be ratified by the Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu.
Namibia also exports its beef to the United States and China, becoming the first African country to do so.
