WINDHOEK – The Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) has reopened contracts with suppliers during a period in which contracts are normally not entered into due to the massive slaughtering demand because of the drought.
Ordinarily Meatco enters into contracts with suppliers three time per year but now they have opened it up again for more slaughter. Although the quality of meat is dropping by the day, Meatco is slaughtering at full capacity and its slaughtering utility is fully booked until May, Manager: Communications & Marketing of Meatco, Mario Poolman, confirmed to Farmers Forum. Contracts for June, July and August are now being concluded.
Producers were notified that as from March 23 to April 30, Meatco will offer an additional delivery contract signing period for farmers in Namibia for delivery between June and August 2015. Producers will have the opportunity to sign delivery agreements with Meatco to obtain a slaughter slot in the months of June, July or August. The months of March, April and May are already filled. “The contract signing period closes annually at the end of February for delivery in April to August. However during a normal raining season producers are able to do their marketing planning but during this year marketing planning by the end of February was difficult.
“The same N$2.50 premium also applies to contracts signed during the additional contract signing period. It is important for every producer to take note that if you already signed a contract with Meatco, this additional period will not allow you to decrease the number of cattle you already contracted nor will it replace a contract that you already signed. This additional contract period will only allow you to add additional cattle to deliver to Meatco during the months of June, July and August,” Poolman says.