Staff Reporter
THE weaner value chain is facing significant pressure as Namibian weaner producers are operating at a loss when factoring in costs for land, taxes, and management.
This was highlighted by the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), which explained that the primary reason weaner producers are facing severe financial pressure is that land, taxes, and management costs have increased by 61% since 2017, largely driven by international conflicts, while the price of weaners has dropped by 23% over the same period.
“As a result, producers have been forced to seek alternative income sources or reduce their breeding herds to survive,” NAU explained.
Citing the Livestock Producers’ Organisation (LPO), NAU revealed that Namibia exported around 180,000 live cattle to South Africa in 2024, representing approximately 6.4% of the cattle slaughtered in South Africa. NAU further revealed that between 2022 and 2024, South Africa had slaughtered a total of 7.85 million cattle, while Namibia had exported a total of 468,000 live cattle, accounting for 5.9% of the total slaughter in South Africa.
“Despite Namibian weaner exports making up only around 6% of total cattle slaughtered in South Africa, there were emotional claims at the start of 2025 that imports of weaners from Namibia were contributing to the low weaner prices in South Africa,” NAU added.
NAU explained that the key profit drivers for extensive primary meat producers are currently limited to stocking rates per hectare, the efficiency of converting grass to meat, price per kilogram, and cost per hectare.
NAU assured that the LPO is consistently engaging with its counterparts in South Africa and Botswana to ensure mutual understanding of the matter and to address matters of common interest. However, NAU revealed that Namibian weaner exports, particularly to the South African market, are projected to decline in the long term.
“Namibia has a strong focus on exporting meat to international markets, and four beef export abattoirs will be operational in 2026. Although South Africa will remain an important market for weaners, local market competition is expected to increase, and weaner exports to South Africa are projected to decline in the long term. The weaner value chain is therefore under immense pressure across Southern Africa. Everyone is waiting for the recovery of consumer purchasing power, after which a price increase in weaner prices is expected,” NAU added.
