Felix Njini Windhoek
Namibia is opening new markets for its beef in China and Russia as it seeks to reduce its reliance on demand from consumers in the EU and South Africa.
Namibia had sent “a small consignment” of beef to Russia and the two countries were completing veterinary clearance steps before fully fledged exports began, Trade and Industry Minister Calle Schlettwein said by phone from Windhoek on Monday.
China had cleared Namibia to start beef exports, after health inspections, he said.
“Russia and China have potential, much higher than we can satisfy,” Schlettwein said. “This will help our industry move away from single-market dependency which we have with the EU and South Africa.”
The new markets would enable Namibia to reduce the number of live animals exported to South Africa and Angola, which represented a relatively low-value trade, Schlettwein said.
Namibia each year sends about 490 000 livestock to South Africa, its largest trading partner. Sales resumed in August after a four-month halt prompted by new veterinary requirements imposed by South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Namibia also exported about 17 000 tons of processed meats to South Africa and about 9 000 tons of the best cuts of beef to the EU, PJ Strydom, the general manager of the Meat Board of Namibia, said on Tuesday.
Chinese demand for beef extended from the finest cuts of fillet steak to offal and “this diversification is much needed” for Namibian producers, Schlettwein said.
Discussions with Russia over meat exports had begun before that country banned imports of some food goods from the EU in retaliation for western sanctions imposed because of the crisis in Ukraine.
“Russia has said it wants to trade with Africa and it’s an excellent opportunity that we must take to trade with countries that we have good relations with,” Schlettwein said. – Bloomberg