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Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry
2017-08-01Staff Report 2 Query: Ministry of Agriculture, please clarify if the Chinese company called Fu Hai Trading Enterprises has applied for a permit to export donkey meat and skins out of Namibia, and whether it has been approved or not? Response: No, because there is currently no agreed health certificate between Namibia and Vietnam for the export of such products to that country. No, approval cannot be given if there is no health certificate in place. Query: The company has no Namibian partners on board. Does that matter when someone is applying for export permits for meat? Response: Any individual or business may apply for a health certificate, but will have to meet the requirements before they are allowed to export. Having Namibian partners is not a requirement for granting of a health certificate to applications in this regard. Query: Drought has depleted many head of cattle in most of the southern African countries, including Namibia, will Namibia be able to assist Zimbabwe with its beef requirements? Response: The sale of the available beef is subject to price acceptability. Thus, beef is currently exported to other markets that can afford the product. In the same vein, beef could be exported to Zimbabwe if the trading partners in that country can afford the Namibian beef prices. In the Northern Cordoned Area, the Meatco mobile abattoir can supply 110 carcasses per week if the price is correct. Northern Cordoned Area beef has no market at present. The government of Namibia is upgrading five abattoirs in the Northern Cordoned Areas; once these abattoirs are operational they could supply beef required by Zimbabwe. Query: It was noted that Zimbabwe will dispatch a team of veterinarians to Namibia to inspect Namibian facilities on 30 June 2017. Did this happen and, if so, what was the outcome? Response: Yes, a team of veterinarians from Zimbabwe did visit Namibia in June 2017 to study the implementation of the Commodity Based Trade Principle for application in Zimbabwe. There has been no official audit or request for export certification from the competent authority of Zimbabwe, as yet. * Margaret Kalo, senior public relations Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, e-mail: Margaret.kalo@mawf.gov.na 2017-08-01Staff Report 2
