Windhoek
The SADC-EPA agreement with the European Union, which was initialled by the relevant parties last year, is currently in the process of being “legally scrubbed”.
During this process it will be ensured that all parties interpret the text of the agreement in the same way and that it is legal. The initialling of the agreement guaranteed Namibia’s quota and tariff-free access to European markets.
Mecki Schneider, the chairperson of the Livestock Producers Organisation (LPO), says various alternative markets have in the meantime been explored. Contact was made with China, Hong Kong and Russia as possible alternative markets. In spite of interest in Namibian products, these markets are not used yet.
The two main reasons are that the phyto-sanitary agreements have not yet been finalised and the decrease in total slaughters. Meat exports to the USA could become a reality in the near future as soon as their meat inspection certification is finalised by their Food Security and Inspection Services (FSIS).
“Lamb bone-in exports to the European Union (EU) are again on the agenda. The LPO has driven this action on a regular basis. A renewed request was sent to the EU to reconsider this matter. In reaction, the EU expects certain guarantees with regard to foot-and-mouth disease control, especially because the last FMD outbreak in Europe was among sheep.
An informal invitation was sent to the EU to visit Namibia in order to familiarise themselves with local conditions. A formal invitation was not sent, because DVS (Department of Veterinary Services) wants to reinvestigate the bone-in exports,” Schneider notes.
Namibia and Botswana export beef to Norway under their “Generalised System of Preferences” (GSP). The GPS is a partial allowance that developed countries can make to developing countries in order to promote development. “Since the reclassification of Namibia and Botswana as “upper middle income countries” by the World Bank, these two countries do not qualify to take part in the GSP scheme any longer.
Norway, however, decided to keep quotas for Namibia and Botswana and to include it under the SACU-EFTA (European Free Trade Association) free-trade agreement. This process has not yet been finalised, but in the meantime the two countries can still export their quota beef,” Schneider concludes.