Namibia lifts ban on South African poultry imports.
Chicken from biosecure farms in South Africa will soon be on sale in Namibia.
Photo: UNSPLASH
The Namibian Directorate of Veterinary Services lifted its ban on poultry
meat imports from South Africa on 20 May 2024. However, Chief Veterinary Officer Albertina Shilongo said in the announcement of the lifting of the ban that only poultry meat from biosecure poultry farms, as listed by the veterinary authority of South Africa, would be permitted to be imported into Namibia.
This followed an earlier suspension of the importation and transit of live poultry and poultry products from South Africa following the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), according to a report by TheBrief.com Izaak Breitenbach, CEO of the South African Poultry Association, said poultry exports to Namibia had already resumed in March 2024.
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“The lifting of the ban is clearly welcomed by the local poultry industry. Namibia has been a long-standing importer of South African poultry. The permission to import poultry meat into our neighbouring country obviously follows the fact that the last outbreak of HPAI occurred in November last year. The fact of the matter is that Namibian producers cannot meet the demand for poultry products, which leaves that country dependent on imports,” he told Farmer’s Weekly.
The Poultry Producers’ Association of Namibia (PPA) said in a statement that the demand from urban consumers for poultry was on the increase and Namibia had to import poultry products.
Namibian consumption of poultry was above 18kg per person per year, which meant an average monthly demand of 4 500t. Namibia currently produces about 2 700t per month, leaving a shortfall of approximately 1 800t.
“Customs data shows that more than 2 000t of poultry and poultry products are imported into Namibia every month. The local poultry sector contributed an estimated R1,2 billion to the Namibian economy in 2021.
“The Social Accounting Matrix multiplier for meat processing stands at 4,42, indicating that every R1 spent in the poultry production and processing value chain adds R4,42 in GDP to the economy,” according to the PPA.
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The Namibian poultry industry directly employs over 2 500 people, representing an estimated 10 000 dependants. According to the PPA, the Namibian poultry industry held significant potential for economic growth and job creation, particularly for small-scale farmers.
However, in order to fully realise this potential, a robust regulatory framework was needed to develop and unlock economic benefits.
Source link : https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-news/south-africa/namibia-lifts-ban-on-south-african-poultry-imports/
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Publish date : 2024-06-06 03:19:47
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