Chamwe Kaira
Cattle production costs dropped by 1.9% over the last 12 months, according to the Namibia Agricultural Union’s (NAU) second quarter report for 2025.
NAU said the decline was mainly driven by a 10.29% fall in fuel prices, which helped offset a 2.72% rise in electricity costs during the same period.
The report noted that 2025 is a herd rebuilding year, which has increased profitability for farmers by leading to higher producer prices.
At the same time, cattle marketing fell sharply, dropping by 56.24% from 211 610 in the first half of 2024 to 92 600 during the same period this year.
NAU said this decline was largely due to a 75.71% decline in live exports to South Africa.
Namibia has traditionally exported most of its young cattle to South Africa, but this year retention rates have surged to about 60%, compared to the usual 2–5%.
This shift has reduced slaughter numbers at export abattoirs, cutting beef exports from 10 968 tonnes in the first half of 2024 to 5 461 tonnes in 2025.
NAU said beef exports fell by 51.4% in the first quarter and a further 49.7% in the second quarter.
Sheep marketing also declined, dropping by 40.85% from 517 760 in the first half of 2024 to 306 233 this year.
Slaughter at export abattoirs fell by 40.57%, registered butchers by 27.23%, and live exports to South Africa by 49.95%. In total, 70 990 sheep were slaughtered in Namibia.
Goat marketing remained limited at local butchers, with only 811 heads slaughtered between January and June 2025.
Live exports to South Africa fell by 10.35% to 53 134 from 59 272 in 2024. Goat auction prices rose to an average of N$1 407.84 per head, up from N$1 035.34 last year.
NAU noted that this is the highest average price recorded in the past decade.
Pig marketing increased by 4.11% to 24 699 during the first six months of 2025. Namibia’s pork production continues to supply about 45% of domestic demand, with the pork ceiling price steady at N$51.03/kg.
In the poultry sector, 9 307 872 chickens were marketed in the first half of 2025. Egg production reached 52 367 795 units over the same period.
Milk prices remained stable at N$7.42 per litre, while production grew from 7 587 703 litres in 2024 to 8 070 060 litres this year.
The union said farmers remain confident as they reinvest in their herds, but this has led to fewer animals reaching abattoirs and lower export volumes.
It added that herd rebuilding follows years of difficult conditions, including droughts since 2019 in parts of the country.
Caption
Cattle marketing dropped in the first quarter of this year.
- Source: NAU
