Lesotho seeks partnerships in beef
Isaiah Morewagae | Wednesday May 14, 2014 15:46
Speaking during a tour of the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) here yesterday, Tsekoa also called on regional meat producers to support each other in terms of capacity for export markets. This also follows the recent call by former president, Festus Mogae, to the state-owned meat processors in Botswana and Namibia to collaborate in satisfying lucrative European contracts.
Accompanying King Letsie III, Tsekoa said he was impressed by BMC more so that it was competing successfully against other beef producing entities for the global market. Agriculture Minister, Christiaan de Graaff and BMC CEO, Akolang Tombale had earlier briefed Letsie and Tsekoa about the fierce competition the parastatal faces in exporting products to international markets.
“The BMC is competing against the best in the beef industry and it is impressive that it continues to perform well in this regard,” Tsekoa said.
Tsekoa is counting on De Graaff’s state visit to Lesotho later this year for more sharing of experiences towards the establishment of a beef processing plant.
He also applauded the BMC policy of using naturally fed animals in its production, which he said bore lessons for Lesotho. “There is no artificial fattening of animals before slaughter and this is a way of maximising the natural resources, thereby getting more returns,” Tsekoa said.
He said: “The cattle rearing tenacity Batswana are showing is a lesson to Basotho in sustainable livelihoods.”
Letsie was scheduled to fly to Kasane yesterday. He is expected to tour the Diamond Trading Company Botswana today.