For the second quarter of 2024, Namibia saw an upward trajectory in terms of overall cattle, sheep and pigs marketing, while goat exports experienced a slight decline for the period under review.
The Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPB)’s latest report shows that marketing activities in the country’s cattle sector during the second quarter of this year increased by 28.8% with a total of 109 192 cattle marketed.
Live cattle exports posted an improved performance, recording a total of 51 665 heads exported mainly due to drought conditions. The report also shows that weaner prices averaged N$24.45/kg, whereas the beef All-grade average price averaged N$59.76/kg during the quarter. Weaner prices have generally been on a decline since the beginning of the year.
On the meat-trading front, beef exports totalled 8 031 908 kg, improving by 59.4% during the second quarter, and bringing total beef exports to various destinations to 10 968 092 kg, which is 69.7% higher than the 2023 levels.
During the first half of 2024, the European Union took up 40.4% of total beef exports, while the UK, South Africa and Norway took up 23.6%, 21.3% and 12.2%, respectively, as top destinations.
On the other hand, beef imports slightly declined by 5.6%, pointing to improved availability of locally produced offal.
Sheep sector
Meanwhile, performance in the sheep sector during the second quarter was mainly driven by live exports of sheep to South Africa, as the sector recorded growth during the period under review.
A total of 310 481 sheep were marketed during the second quarter of 2024, which is 10.9% more than the 279 816 sheep marketed during the same period last year.
Although recording a decline of 3.0%, sheep prices have remained resilient during the second quarter of 2024, with the lamb Dorper producer price averaging N$30.63/kg in comparison to N$31.58/ kg in the comparable period of 2023.
The sheep All-grade carcass producer price averaged N$47.26/kg during the second quarter, while the A2 average carcass producer price came in at N$70.63/kg. The export of lamb and mutton fell by 21.0% due to poor slaughter activity.
The latest report shows that Namibia recorded 247 561kg of mutton exports to South Africa, relative to 379 858kg exported during 2023. Similarly, mutton imports remained relatively low at 23.4%.
Goat sector
Goat marketing continues to be traditionally dominated by live exports to the Kwazulu-Natal province of South Africa. The share of South Africa in total goats provided to the market by Namibian producers decreased from 97.9% in 2023 to 97.5% in the second quarter of 2024.
The period under review recorded a slow performance in goat marketing with a total of 36 072 goats marketed bringing marketing to a level of 60 514 goats, which represents a 5.1% decline in marketing. Goat prices averaged N$29.34/kg and closed at a high of N$30.54/kg in June 2024.
Pork sector
Pig slaughtering for the period under review totalled 12 244 pigs, a 7.7% growth in comparison to a slaughter quantity of 11 366 pigs slaughtered during the same period in 2023. Pork market share remained in favour of imports due to increased pork imports. Excluding processed products, local pork products’ market share declined from 43.5% to 35.8% in 2024.
The average slaughter mass of pigs during the second quarter averaged 90.05 kg. The pork-ceiling price remained fixed at N$51.03/ kg while the benchmark Red Meat Abattoir Association (RMAA) price in South Africa averaged N$31.19/kg during the quarter. Pork traditionally considered the cheapest protein option accounted for 87.7% of all controlled meat products imported because of limited local production capacity.
-ohembapu@nepc.com.na