Livestock farmers fed up with export quota

A GROUP of small livestock farmers in the South plan to petition Government to open the border for the export of live animals to South Africa.

Currently only one sheep or goat can be exported for every six animals slaughtered at local abattoirs
Farmers who gathered at a meeting held on Tuesday at Keetmanshoop claimed that the Government-imposed export quota has a negative impact on farmers.
Government imposed the quota to promote local value addition.
A farmer, John Forster, who spearheaded the meeting, said Government’s export quota only benefits foreign investors such as Dr Kabols Le Riche – a shareholder of Brukkaros Meat Processors – at the expenses of the farmers.
He claimed that local abattoirs pocket large profits because of the low prices farmers are offered at local abattoirs in comparison to market-related prices offered in South Africa.
‘The prices for our products remain the same despite soaring production costs and looming drought that can have far-reaching consequences on the farmers’ production,’ he said.
Farmers receive an average price of N$29 per kilogram at local abattoirs compared to an average price of N$35 per kg paid on the South African market, Foster said.
Foster said talks between Government, agricultural unions and local abattoirs aimed at finding an alternative to the export quota has been dragging on for too long with no solution in sight.
This, he said, has sparked anger among farmers who decided to fight from the ‘grassroots level’ for an amicable solution that would benefit the farmer.
According to Foster, the planned petition would demand that Government open the border for the export of small livestock to South Africa.
Farmers also plan to petition Government to consider granting drought subsidies to farmers as an alternative to the opening of the border.
Foster ruled out an option that farmers would boycott local abattoirs as a last resort.
He said negotiations with Meatco and Agra Co-operative aimed at securing market-related prices locally are in the initial stages.
It emerged at the meeting that the Government, local abattoirs and the agricultural unions are somehow in agreement about introducing a N$40 export levy per animal instead of the export quota system.
However, the farmers who attended the meeting argued that the export levy is too high.