Windhoek
The Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU) has urged President Hage Geingob to intervene at the highest level to avert South Africa implementing stringent health restrictions on Namibia’s livestock exports to that country.
The possible implementation of the regulations has been hanging over the Namibian livestock industry like a sword since 2014, and it was the focus point of a NAU delegation’s talks with the president at State House on Wednesday.
Leading the delegation was the NAU executive manager Sakkie Coetzee.
The NAU representatives fear the measures, if imposed, could cripple Namibia’s N$2.5 billion livestock sector.
Mecki Schneider, chairperson of the Livestock Producers Organisation (LPO) and a member of the NAU executive council, said the South African import restrictions could be implemented any time soon and would cause devastation among Namibian farmers.
South Africa last year notified the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that it would enforce the restrictions by February or March this year.
The Namibian farming sector had until January 8 this year to comment on the notification via the Meat Board as facilitator of the deliberations and while South Africa acknowledged receipt of the comments, no feedback was received.
The Meat Board recently held meetings with livestock and meat industry stakeholders to develop and implement strategies to reduce the impact of the looming import conditions.
One such meeting focused on the accommodation of excess weaner calves in Namibia, while another focused on negotiations with South Africa about the new measures.
Namibia currently exports some 180 000 weaners, 90 000 sheep and 250 000 goats per year to South Africa and the industry is the livelihood of especially small-scale and communal farmers.
Concerns were also raised during the meeting about government’s Small Stock Marketing Scheme. The local sheep industry has shrunk drastically and sheep farmers have incurred severe financial losses following the government’s introduction of legislation in 2004 stipulating that for every sheep exported live, six sheep must be slaughtered locally.
Through the leadership of the LPO and the Meat Board the issue was brought to the ministry’s attention in July 2015. The ministry found the proposals made by the LPO and the Meat Board reasonable. According to agriculture minister John Mutorwa, the matter was referred to the Cabinet Committee on Trade and Economic Development for consideration.
Meatco’s ownership was also discussed with Mutorwa, who said that he expected the Namibia Meat Company Bill and by-laws for the Livestock Producers’ Cooperative of Namibia to be discussed in parliament shortly. He said the legislation would be open for public input.
At the end of last year the Meatco board chairperson Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun said Mutorwa had confirmed that the government would take a 30 percent stake in the form of equity at Meatco.
Mutorwa had announced in 2012 already that Cabinet had approved the shareholding. But at the time Meatco members unanimously rejected the government’s proposal for Meatco’s future ownership, operational structure and legal framework.
The members were prepared to compromise and accept the 30 percent stake the government wanted, provided it paid for that stake in cash or in kind and that there be no interference in the company’s day-to-day management.
Various other topics including bush encroachment, which is said to cost the livestock industry a massive N$1 billion per year, and pensions and the minimum wage for farmworkers were also discussed.