Dairy sector on its knees
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
The long-feared collapse of the Namibian dairy industry seems to be one step closer to reality, with only seven producers remaining in the sector.
Two more dairy producers recently announced their retirement effective from the end of July.
Kokkie Adriaanse, chairman of the Dairy Producers Association, is one of them, while Christo Strydom, management member of the association, is another.
The seven remaining milk producers includes Namibia Dairies' Superfarm at Mariental.
In the year 2000, the industry was still strong, with 45 producers.
According to the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), in 2019 raw milk production stood at 21 million litres, decreasing to 17 million litres in 2020, while only 12 million litres is expected this year.
End of the road
“The local dairy sector appears to have reached the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, despite continuous efforts by local stakeholders to safeguard the industry, including decades of knocking on government doors to support and protect this vulnerable industry, the sector has reached a point where it must call it quits,” said the NAU.
The union said more and more farmers are bidding farewell to this industry after having been in production for longer than 30 years.
“A collapse will certainly bring an increase in job losses, and finances will flow out of the country for imported dairy products. Livelihoods will be impacted, and dreams will be shattered.
“It is a sad truth that this critical stage for the local dairy industry, which is an important component of the agri-food economy, has been reached.”
The union added that on the other hand, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought about a situation where Namibians can no longer rely on supplies of basic commodities from elsewhere.
Namibia needs to secure its primary production so that it can supply sufficient raw materials to be processed effectively by the rest of the value chain.
WINDHOEK
The long-feared collapse of the Namibian dairy industry seems to be one step closer to reality, with only seven producers remaining in the sector.
Two more dairy producers recently announced their retirement effective from the end of July.
Kokkie Adriaanse, chairman of the Dairy Producers Association, is one of them, while Christo Strydom, management member of the association, is another.
The seven remaining milk producers includes Namibia Dairies' Superfarm at Mariental.
In the year 2000, the industry was still strong, with 45 producers.
According to the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), in 2019 raw milk production stood at 21 million litres, decreasing to 17 million litres in 2020, while only 12 million litres is expected this year.
End of the road
“The local dairy sector appears to have reached the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, despite continuous efforts by local stakeholders to safeguard the industry, including decades of knocking on government doors to support and protect this vulnerable industry, the sector has reached a point where it must call it quits,” said the NAU.
The union said more and more farmers are bidding farewell to this industry after having been in production for longer than 30 years.
“A collapse will certainly bring an increase in job losses, and finances will flow out of the country for imported dairy products. Livelihoods will be impacted, and dreams will be shattered.
“It is a sad truth that this critical stage for the local dairy industry, which is an important component of the agri-food economy, has been reached.”
The union added that on the other hand, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought about a situation where Namibians can no longer rely on supplies of basic commodities from elsewhere.
Namibia needs to secure its primary production so that it can supply sufficient raw materials to be processed effectively by the rest of the value chain.
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