Only 34 cattle butchered at Outapi abattoir

Since starting operations in June 2018, the Outapi abattoir has only slaughtered 34 cattle.The Namibian National Liberation Veterans Association (NNLVA), which operates the abattoir, said they are hoping a meat-processing plant, soon to be unveiled at Ongwediva, will help them gain access to the market.At the moment the facility cannot do much to assist farmers due to the lack of markets in the Northern Communal Areas (NCA).NNLVA president Ben Shikongo told Namibian Sun because institutions are failing to implement the 2018 national land conference resolution that government offices, ministries and agencies (OMAs) must consume locally produced produce, there is no market for them and the facility is of little use.“The abattoir is struggling because we do not have a formal market for beef. The only market available is the informal market but there is no way we can be operating just to supply the informal market because they are already catering for individuals who supply them with meat or cattle. The government has given a directive for local institutions to consume local produce, including meat, but institutions are not complying with this,” Shikongo said.“Within the NCA, there are many cattle of good quality that can sustain the local market with quality beef, but institutions are still bringing in meat from south of the red line. This is denying us access to the market. We are looking for a market and we are also encouraging the government to re-emphasise the land conference resolution so that the business community and OMAs support local abattoirs.”Shikongo said since they started operating, they have been depending on slaughtering fees paid by individuals to use the abattoir to supply meat to local retailers, as required by health inspectors.He added they have managed to buy about 200 cattle from local farmers, but sold them on the hoof because they have nowhere to sell the meat. “Farmers have given an indication that they are ready to work with us, but there is nowhere to take the meat. Last year we opened a butchery at Outapi and we have so far slaughtered 34 cattle (in total) but the market is very small. We decided to only buy and sell cattle on the hoof to those having weddings or at open markets,” Shikongo said.The ministry of agriculture constructed a meat-processing plant which is about to be completed at the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA) facility at Ongwediva, and there are three abattoirs in the NCA at Eenhana, Oshakati and Outapi.Namibian National Farmers Union president Jason Emvula said they have not been fully engaged on the state of the abattoirs and farmers are frustrated.Emvula said when farmers heard there were abattoirs coming in the area, they went to financial providers to acquire loans to capacitate their farms, but now they cannot generate money to pay back these loans.“People had hope that the farming situation in the NCA was improving when they heard abattoirs were coming. They took loans and now it's paying back time but the abattoirs are still not operating. There is nowhere else they can sell their cattle, as the informal market has no capacity to take up the high supply,” Emvula said.“Our plea is to those awarded tenders to operate the abattoirs to put them into operation, and if they need help, they must come out and engage stakeholders so we can see how we can help them.”ILENI NANDJATO

Only 34 cattle butchered at Outapi abattoir

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Namibian Sun 2025-02-21

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Only 34 cattle butchered at Outapi abattoir

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Namibian Sun 2025-02-21

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