Poultry producers welcome new livestock act

The Poultry Producers Association of Namibia has welcomed the declaration of chicken, dairy, eggs, hides and skins as controlled products in line with the Livestock and Livestock Products Act.

The association’s chairperson, Rene Werner, says they had been engaging the government for a long time and are happy to fall under Meat Board’s regulation.

“This is a new journey for us and the Meat Board, and we welcome this development,” he says, adding that they will continue to consult on the way forward.

“The Meat Board, as the regulator of the industry, will help the poultry industry to grow in terms of marketing of the meat and eggs,” he says.

He says Namibian producers – from the big enterprises to the village backyard producers – have the capacity to meet local demand and even export eggs to Angola, but were being hampered by cheap imports that are threatening the existence of local production ventures.

“We have shown in the last six to eight months that we are capable of supplying the local market with eggs and we hope the Meat Board will regulate the importation of cheap eggs for the benefit of the local industry,” Werner says.

According to the latest issue of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) newsletter, Namibia has taken a significant step by amending the Meat Industry Act of 1981, to the Livestock and Livestock Products Act, which includes the poultry and dairy sectors.

The association is an affiliate of the NAU, which has said this inclusion (effective as of 22 August) signals a pivotal move towards greater regulation, sustainability and self-sufficiency in these vital industries.

According to the Meat Board, the National Assembly recently approved the livestock and livestock products bill, which involves amending the Meat Industry Act to make chicken, dairy, eggs, hides and skins controlled products.

“The Livestock and Livestock Products Act, which governs cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and their meat products, now extends its reach to cover poultry and dairy.

“This legislative change enables the Meat Board of Namibia to regulate poultry and dairy to ensure that domestic sectors realise growth and contribute to government’s national goal of increasing production and value addition,” says the newsletter.

The new act also repeals the Control of the Import and Export of Dairy Products and Dairy Product Substitutes Act, 1986. Additionally, the Meat Board will be renamed the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia to reflect its broader mandate.

The Meat Board will now oversee and regulate these sectors, drawing from its successful management of related industries.

The bill was tabled in the National Assembly in June by the minister of agriculture, water and land reform, Calle Schlettwein, who said the inclusion of dairy and poultry products in the Meat Industry Act would allow Namibia to develop its dairy and poultry industries through a pro-growth approach.

“The inclusion of poultry, dairy and related products in the livestock and livestock products bill gives powers to the Meat Board to regulate those subsectors to the benefit of local producers and consumers,” said Schlettwein.

– email: matthew@namibian.com.na