Outapi abattoir survives on slaughtering fees

Due to the lack of a formalised meat market in the Northern Communal Areas (NCA), the Outapi and Eenhana abattoirs are surviving on the slaughtering fees individuals who make use of the facilities are charged, until a market becomes available.A slaughtering fee is an amount of not more than N$200 per head of cattle slaughtered, and since January 2018 only 2 407 cattle have been slaughtered at the Outapi abattoir.The two abattoirs are managed by Namibia Northern Abattoir (NNA), a company owned by the Namibian National Liberation Veterans Association (NNLVA). According to NNA chairperson Ben Shikongo, they are hoping a meat-processing plant, soon to be unveiled at Ongwediva, will help them gain access to the market.This meat-processing plant will also be managed by the war veterans.“When we started in January 2018 at Outapi, we had a butchery at the Outapi abattoir but due to some reasons we had to give it away and it is now being operated by a private business. We are only dependent on the slaughtering fees paid by individuals to use the abattoir to supply meat to local retailers, as required by health inspectors,” Shikongo said.“The abattoir has no deboning facilities to enable us to sell meat. Once the meat-processing plant is completed, we will be able to buy cattle from farmers, slaughter them and sell meat to local retailers and for export as well.” Shikongo declined to say how much they have generated from the abattoir so far.Before giving away the butchery services at the Outapi abattoir, the veterans' business unit slaughtered 34 cattle in total.Shikongo said the lack of a market is due to institutions failing to implement the 2018 national land conference resolution that government offices, ministries and agencies (OMAs) must consume locally produced produce.The Eenhana abattoir is undergoing further construction and is expected to be fully operational soon.ILENI NANDJATO

Outapi abattoir survives on slaughtering fees

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Namibian Sun 2025-02-21

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Outapi abattoir survives on slaughtering fees

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Namibian Sun 2025-02-21

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