Progress in securing Middle East beef market
• Abattoirs urged to take advantage
Namibian beef and lamb will soon make its way to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The agriculture ministry has made significant progress in securing Middle Eastern market access for Namibian meat and meat products.
Executive director Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata said the ministry undertook a mission to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar in July for market exploration for the exportation of Namibian meat - from both north and south of the veterinary cordon fence (VCF).
She said the delegation held trade negotiation meetings with veterinary authorities in the UAE and the Qatari ministry of public health to discuss important requirements to export Namibian meat to those markets.
“Similarly, discussions were held with the halal accreditation authorities of UAE and Qatar.”
Nghituwamata said the visit negotiated successfully on the import requirements for beef exports from export-approved abattoirs in the northern communal areas to Qatar, and the exportation of beef and lamb from south of the VCF to the UAE.
She said this was followed by further consultations between Namibia’s directorate of veterinary services with its counterparts in both countries, which resulted in obtaining veterinary export health certificates for meat exports.
Halal accreditation
According to her, it is imperative for Namibian export-approved abattoirs to take advantage of this market opportunity and engage halal certifying bodies approved by the UAE and Qatar for accreditation prior to export.
Furthermore, the ministry encouraged export-approved abattoirs to engage with the importers of meat and meat products in the UAE and Qatar for registration of the products they intend to export once their establishments or abattoirs are halal-accredited.
Beef is the largest of the meat subsector in Namibia, followed by lamb, mutton and goat.
As of 2022, Namibia’s top beef export destinations are the European Union with 29% of total beef exports, Norway with 25% and South Africa with 24%, according to data from the Meat Board of Namibia.
As beef production is a key economic driver, contributing to about 70% of the country’s agricultural gross domestic product, Namibia has been trying to diversify its export markets to fetch higher income for its people.
In 2020, Namibia become the first African country to export red meat to the United States of America, following nearly two decades of negotiations.
State-owned meat firm Meatco sent the country’s first shipment of 25 tonnes to America in February of that year, with hopes of increasing exports to 5 000 tonnes by 2025.
Executive director Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata said the ministry undertook a mission to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar in July for market exploration for the exportation of Namibian meat - from both north and south of the veterinary cordon fence (VCF).
She said the delegation held trade negotiation meetings with veterinary authorities in the UAE and the Qatari ministry of public health to discuss important requirements to export Namibian meat to those markets.
“Similarly, discussions were held with the halal accreditation authorities of UAE and Qatar.”
Nghituwamata said the visit negotiated successfully on the import requirements for beef exports from export-approved abattoirs in the northern communal areas to Qatar, and the exportation of beef and lamb from south of the VCF to the UAE.
She said this was followed by further consultations between Namibia’s directorate of veterinary services with its counterparts in both countries, which resulted in obtaining veterinary export health certificates for meat exports.
Halal accreditation
According to her, it is imperative for Namibian export-approved abattoirs to take advantage of this market opportunity and engage halal certifying bodies approved by the UAE and Qatar for accreditation prior to export.
Furthermore, the ministry encouraged export-approved abattoirs to engage with the importers of meat and meat products in the UAE and Qatar for registration of the products they intend to export once their establishments or abattoirs are halal-accredited.
Beef is the largest of the meat subsector in Namibia, followed by lamb, mutton and goat.
As of 2022, Namibia’s top beef export destinations are the European Union with 29% of total beef exports, Norway with 25% and South Africa with 24%, according to data from the Meat Board of Namibia.
As beef production is a key economic driver, contributing to about 70% of the country’s agricultural gross domestic product, Namibia has been trying to diversify its export markets to fetch higher income for its people.
In 2020, Namibia become the first African country to export red meat to the United States of America, following nearly two decades of negotiations.
State-owned meat firm Meatco sent the country’s first shipment of 25 tonnes to America in February of that year, with hopes of increasing exports to 5 000 tonnes by 2025.
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