BMC Gets Clearance For Angola Exports

Boniface Keakabetse | Monday December 19, 2016 13:07

 

Speaking during a BMC Christmas Dinner at Rileys Hotel on Thursday, Ramotshwara said they hope to begin exporting to Angola next year. BMC deal to export to Angola has long been in limbo as the Namibians refused to allow beef to be transported through their land citing its FMD area origins.

Ramotshwara said Angolan veterinary authorities are expected in Maun in January and February to approve the deal.

He further explained that they have sourced other markets for Ngamiland beef in Vietnam and Mozambique. “Next year we hope to export to Vietnam and Mozambique. This is good news for farmers.”

Ramotshwara further stated that in 2016, they targeted to slaughter 25,680 cattle, adding that however they have so far killed 20,100. “This is a huge achievement. We never managed to kill this huge number since the abattoir reopened.” He said next year they target to slaughter 28,000.

Ramotshwara said one of their achievements this year was when they increased cattle prices from P16 to P19,50. However he said they have a high backlog of farmers who sold their cattle who they still owe. “Our turn over period for paying farmers is two weeks but we have now spent a month due to some financial challenges.” However, he expressed hope that they will pay farmers before the festive holidays.

He also shared that the drying of Thamalakane River earlier this year affected their operations. The manager said they learnt a lesson from the water shortage crises, which forced them to rely on borehole water. He said they have come up with a strategy for water provision in case the river dries up again in future.

Killer Ledimo, a farmer, expressed delight that there has been no FMD outbreak in Ngamiland in 2016. Ledimo however called on farmers to prevent prevalence of beef measles by building toilets in farms.